


someone that makes me feel seasick

by sofarsoperfect



Series: kill the director [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Retail, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Drinking, Explicit Language, M/M, Making Out, Mutual Pining, gratuitious clothing descriptions, making out in a car, probably timeline inaccuracies, this is a vertiable of nonsensery, vague and most-likely-inaccurate descriptions of tattooing and piercing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:14:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 35,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23795980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sofarsoperfect/pseuds/sofarsoperfect
Summary: “Are you going to get more?” Kun asked.“I dunno,” Renjun said, voice going soft. “Maybe. I kind of like them.”“As long as you’re not modifying your body for some boy, we don’t care,” Ten said. “You think I have room to care,” Ten said, pointing at his own ears. Renjun had noticed Ten’s own earrings, he wondered if that was one of the reasons he was so willing to get them done, finding Ten’s inner ear piercings so cool to look at. “Pierce your lip next, see if I care,” Ten brushed off, going back to what he was doing.“Ten!” Kun scolded, Renjun laughing as he straightened the jacket on the hanger.“Promise that’s not next on the list.”“It better not be,” Kun warned him.
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Suh Youngho | Johnny, previous Park Chanyeol/Suh Youngho | Johnny
Series: kill the director [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1751200
Comments: 37
Kudos: 295





	someone that makes me feel seasick

**Author's Note:**

> no moderated comments this time so be nice

Renjun lifted his eyes from the table he was working on, spotting the man who had just walked in around the corner of a fixture. The man had walked with tense shoulders and hands stuck in the pockets of his leather jacket, a very nice leather jacket as it was. It looked well maintained, shiny and well fitted across the man’s broad shoulders.

Renjun finished up with the women’s shirts and made his way closer, observing the man as he walked around. He’d never been in before, that much was certain, and Renjun was moderately surprised to see him in the store at all. They got a lot of casual buyers in their store but none that looked quite like him, with his slightly too-long inky black hair and combat boots.

He was clearly the kind of man who knew how to dress, having walked in in a pair of tight-fitting jeans, a nice leather jacket, and a henley underneath. All very casual, all very good looking when combined together. He didn’t seem the type to put a lot of work into a good outfit, however, he knew how to pair classic articles into excellent fits. Renjun could appreciate that, especially a man who clearly knew how to take care of his things, given the state of his jacket as well as the shine and cleanliness of his combat boots. However, Renjun could spot the difference between this guy and most of their average clientele immediately.

This guy had an eyebrow ring, first and foremost. His hair was parted to reveal two silver studs above and below his left brow, small and unobtrusive, which he probably chose that day for that reason exactly but they were quite there and quite visible to anyone looking. Then there was the tattoo behind his right ear. His hair was long enough that it almost covered it but not quite. Renjun couldn’t see it properly from where he was finger-spacing the button-downs but he could see the smattering of black ink that was quite obviously not a birthmark. Something told Renjun that that was not the guy’s only tattoo and there was a reason he was as covered up as he was.

All that being said, Renjun could see a confused man from a mile away given the number of men he’d helped since he started here. This guy was better at covering it than most, he gravitated towards the things he knew, the henleys, the button-downs, the patterned sweaters they were in the middle of slowly phasing out. Those were all easy articles but Renjun had a feeling he was here for a different reason.

“Hello,” Renjun greeted him, only glancing up from what he was doing. People tended to shy away if he approached them directly, looking busy seemed to give them some sort of comfort that they weren’t being judged or watched.

“Oh, hello,” the man replied. He had the richest voice Renjun had heard in a minute. Deep, warm, comforting.

“Can I help you find anything?” Renjun asked, still going about his business.

“Uh… no,” came the normal reply and Renjun hummed, about to reply with his normal, ‘Well, my name’s Renjun and I’ll be just here. Let me know if you have any questions,’ when the man spoke again. “Actually, yes. I think I need quite a bit of help,” he admitted. Renjun stopped when he was doing and turned to the gentleman, who took it as a cue to step forward and oh. He was tall.

Renjun had helped many tall people, some of them even women who were taller than him. He had a horribly short stature for his age, only being about 170 cms tall but this guy was tall. Taller than most of his coworkers, Renjun had a feeling, perhaps at least ten centimeters taller than himself. But he carried a sort of… gentle giant kind of disposition.

Up close Renjun could get a good look at him. He had a bit of a round face off-set by a square, very masculine jawline. His features were soft though, pretty round eyes with long, dark lashes, a bit of a big nose that upturned just enough at the end that it gave him a sweet, puppy look. His lips though, those were a feature that set him apart, full and pink with a prominent cupid’s bow. His brows were thick, well maintained and Renjun couldn’t help the way his eyes darted up to them, noticing the silver studs framing the outer corner of the left one.

“Of course, what can I help you with?” Renjun asked, smiling up at him.

“Well, I have a meeting coming up and I need a suit. I don’t have one, which is a very embarrassing thing to say now that I have, being 25 years old,” he commented with a little self-deprecating laugh. “One of my friends recommended this place to get one and I really have no idea where to start,” he admitted, offering Renjun a shy smile. “You think you can help?”

“Of course. I’ve definitely helped people more hopeless than you, just going off your fashion sense,” Renjun said, gesturing to him. The gentleman actually had the audacity to blush, Renjun shaking his head. “What kind of experience do you have in wearing suits?” He asked, leaning his hip against one of the tables.

“Oh, uh, mostly just school formals, to be honest, and it’s been a minute since those years,” he said with a laugh. “Not that they ever really fit to begin with, they were always too big or too small or just didn’t fit correctly. I don’t really know… how a suit is supposed to fit but it definitely didn’t feel right then,” he insisted. “I must sound so confused right now,” he told him with another self-deprecating laugh. Renjun softened immediately. This guy clearly didn’t know what he was doing but he was sweet, a little nervous but it was cute.

“Not any worse than any other man looking for a suit who’s never really worn one,” Renjun insisted. “If it’s just for a business meeting I can only assume you’re not looking for anything too flashy,” he suggested.

“Not really.”

“If you don’t mind my asking, kind of meeting is it? Business, I assumed, but I’m just not sure what I’m supposed to be looking for for you,” Renjun told him. The guy shifted his weight a little, pulling a hand from his jacket pocket to run it through his hair. Renjun’s eyes zeroed in on the flash of black ink on his hand as well as peeking out from the sleeve of his jacket, the sleeve of the jacket as well as his henley pulling up a bit when he lifted his arm.

“It’s actually a meeting with a bank. We’re hoping to get a loan to expand,” he explained. “Places like mine take a lot of convincing, being so… unconventional,” he said. “It’s one of the reasons my friends insisted I take the time to invest in a suit, trying to make a good impression and all that.”

“I see,” Renjun commented. “I have some ideas, but it’s your suit. You should feel free to tell me if you have any ideas of your own before I start trying to take charge here. My friends have called me a bit of a control freak before,” Renjun joked. “Oh, and I didn’t catch your name.”

“I never said it,” he said with a smile. “Johnny. My name’s Johnny and you’re the professional here. Please control freak all over this, I’m afraid I won’t be much help. Any advice you have I am more than willing to listen to.”

Renjun ended up walking Johnny back to the slacks and suit jackets towards the back of the store, explaining the basics of suits to him on the way. Johnny was an attentive listener, offering comments here and there on things he didn’t understand or clarifications on the ideas Renjun was having on his suit.

“What’s your favorite color?” Renjun asked, pausing next to the jackets. Johnny let out a laugh.

“Not a question I was expecting, but I’ll roll with it. I’m a big fan of blue,” Johnny admitted, pushing his hair back and Renjun got a better look at the tattoo behind his ear. Up close, Renjun could make out the delicate line art of a flower, a single five-petaled blossom with wide petals and a star shape in the middle.

“I love that color. It’s so versatile in fashion, it goes beautifully in monochrome looks as well as more non-traditional styles, but I won’t bore you,” Renjun said, Johnny offering him a bright grin. “I don’t know how often you dress in blue but I would like to pair you with a neutral shade suit. Black can be so boring, how do you feel about trying a different color?”

“As long as it doesn’t make me look like a clown, I’m listening,” Johnny agreed, and his grin was so bright Renjun was pretty sure it could blind him. His teeth were so white and straight, perfect pearly whites.

“Well I’ll be sure to make you look as handsome as possible, not that I think that’ll be that hard,” Renjun quipped, Johnny looking away with his grin suddenly a little shyer. “I don’t think you need anything that extensive for a simple meeting and you don’t want to be uncomfortable so I won’t waste your time with a waistcoat, a simple two-piece should be fine. How do you feel about something like this?” Renjun offered, pulling down a suit jacket. It was a plain dark charcoal jacket, something that was still neutral and dark, very professional looking but not a boring black.

“I like this,” Johnny told him. “I do like this color, this a shade I always wondered if I could pull off.”

“Charcoal’s great because it’s so neutral but not black. It looks great on everyone, I’m sure it’s going to look incredible on you. Let me get you a pair of slacks to go with them. Of course that’s a whole other conversation to be had if you’re really worried about it,” Renjun commented and Johnny sighed deeply.

“Let’s just start with getting me in a suit before you scare me,” he suggested but he was smiling as he said it. Renjun laughed with him, handing off the jacket.

“Alright, let’s just start with your sizes then.”

Renjun chose a slack with what he hoped would be a slight break before walking Johnny to the dressing room. The jacket and slacks were perfect in color, Johnny disappearing from sight while Renjun leaned back against the wall by the dressing rooms.

“Helping a guest?” someone asked, Renjun turning and finding the owner at his elbow.

Zhang Yixing was a gentleman nine years Renjun’s senior who went by the name Lay with his friends. He was a man who was proficient in business as well as textiles and that was the reason why he owned an independent, popular department store. It was just one right now but Renjun had no doubts that one day Lay would be running a chain of them through-out all of eastern Asian.

Lay was also something of a mentor to Renjun as well as the others working in the store. He had taught Kun almost everything he knew about being a tailor in the modern market and had taken Sicheng and Renjun under his wing easily as a customer service man. No one ever walked away from Zhang Yixing’s handsome and suave face without a smile, no matter what.

“Yes, he’s getting changed now,” Renjun replied. “First-time suit buyer,” he added, Lay ahh-ing softly with a nod.

“Well, he’s lucky he found you then,” Lay commented, Renjun smiling brightly at the compliment. “Is Kun in today?” Lay asked, shifting his weight and crossing his arms over his chest.

“Not today, but he’ll be available tomorrow. I’ll be sure to offer our tailoring services,” Renjun insisted, Lay smiling knowingly at him.

“Of course you will, you never forget,” Lay commended him. They both looked over at the gentleman walking out, adjusting the suit to sit more comfortably on his shoulders. “Well, hello handsome. You clean up real nice, don’t you, Johnny,” Lay said with a smile, Johnny looking up with wide, surprised eyes while Renjun turned his head to look at his boss.

“Lay, good to see you, man,” Johnny said, stepping over and offering a hand. Lay pulled him into a hug, letting go of him only to adjust the suit. “Oh, I see how it is. You only offer because this is your place, is it? Should’ve known,” Johnny commented, Lay shrugging a shoulder.

“What can I say, I’m a businessman,” Lay quipped, Johnny rolling his eyes good-naturedly. “I was just speaking with Renjun actually,” he added with a gesture in Renjun’s direction. “Glad you came in and I’m glad you ran into him, he’s one of our best,” he insisted, Johnny looking around Lay’s shoulder to view Renjun, who looked away with a bit of a blush creeping into his cheeks. “Looks like he’s done a good job, even with a man like you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Johnny asked, reaching out to shove his shoulder, Lay stumbling a bit from the hit but laughing loudly in reply.

“Hey, watch the suit!” Lay retorted, straightening his own jacket. He was wearing a paisley patterned white and navy blue number with black slacks, shiny, black patent Chelsea boots on his feet. Renjun considered his own outfit to be a vicious and terribly underdressed mockery of his boss’, his brown boots matte, a pair of nice jeans on his legs and a plain, tan suit jacket paired with a white button-down on the top. Renjun always tried to dress nicely for work but no one could compare to Zhang Yixing.

“Yeah, yeah, you mind leaving me alone. You’re gonna make me nervous hanging around while I try to make myself look like a professional person,” Johnny insisted. Lay waved a hand but left them alone, wishing them both a good day and warning Johnny to be good to his clothes. Johnny shook his head while Renjun approached, helping him adjust the suit. “That guy’s your boss, huh?” Johnny asked, Renjun looking up to see Johnny looking at him with a smile hovering around the corners of his lips.

“Yeah,” Renjun agreed. “Yeah, he is. Yixing-ge’s a good guy though,” Renjun added, making a note of the way the suit jacket was just a tad shorter in the shoulders than it needed to be. A tailor would fix that but it seemed Johnny was just a little too broad for a standard off-the-rack jacket.

“You must be close,” he commented, Renjun’s eyes focusing on Johnny’s face again. “What you said now. I have a few Chinese friends myself. I assume you’re also Chinese,” Johnny suggested and Renjun nodded with a little smile. “Makes sense, given your name. It’s silly I didn’t ask, I realize now.” Renjun shook his head, checking the length of the sleeve. Yes, it would need some tailoring if he wanted it to fit exactly right.

“It’s no problem, I really should’ve offered it,” Renjun replied. “This suit fits very well,” Renjun said, pulling gently on the lapels to make sure they would sit flat. “There are a few things about it that cause the fit to not be perfect that our tailor could fix for you but that’s up to you,” Renjun suggested, stepping back. Johnny turned from him and instead assessed himself in the mirror.

“What do you suppose?” Johnny asked. Renjun hummed, looking him over. The pants were just a tad longer than a slight break but definitely not a medium break. Johnny was tall, a slight break would do him the best and of course, there were the issues with the suit jacket. If Johnny was going to be needing this suit in the future it would do him good to get it tailored but it would cost him.

“I always think a tailored suit, though I will admit can cost a bit, is worth it. I know you’re just going in for a meeting with the bank but you might need it again in the future and you’ll really appreciate a suit that fits you right. I can already see the sleeves are a bit off and the shoulders as well, you’re a bit broader than a normal off-the-rack suit can really accommodate,” Renjun admitted. Johnny glanced at him over his shoulder with a raised brow.

“Is that a compliment?” Johnny asked, Renjun laughing gently.

“Yes,” Renjun told him, Johnny laughing in reply before looking back at the suit. “Of course, this is all up to you.”

“You make a good point,” Johnny allowed. “Keeping a suit that doesn’t fit right is a waste of money and I might need it. I think it would do me some good to get it tailored. I don’t suppose your tailor is in today,” Johnny asked, turning back around to look at him.

“He’s not, but if you have time tomorrow I know he would be more than happy to take you, especially as a friend of Yixing-ge,” Renjun assured him.

“I don’t want to be trouble but I really would appreciate this being done sooner rather than later. The meeting is Thursday,” Johnny admitted. Renjun bit his tongue on his quip about last-minute shopping but it seemed Johnny already knew. “I know it’s Monday, you can stop judging me,” Johnny told him but he was smiling as he said it. “Will I need an appointment?” Johnny asked.

“Yes, but I can pencil you in. If you want to change I can take the suit. Kun-ge will take your measurements and everything tomorrow,” Renjun explained. Johnny nodded, disappearing back into the room. Renjun grabbed for the notepad at the desk and a pen.

He scrawled a note for Kun regarding Johnny’s sizes and the obvious problems with the suit so he wouldn’t be wasting his time during his time with Johnny. In the time he was making notes Johnny changed and came back to see Renjun making notes. He gently tapped Renjun on the shoulder, Renjun turning to look at him and took the suit from his arms.

He realized a second later that Johnny was holding his leather jacket, the man pulling his leather jacket on as soon as his arms were free. He adjusted his jacket’s collar, his henley pulling a little at his throat and Renjun could see more ink underneath the single button Johnny had undone. He fixed it, the dark color disappearing almost immediately and Renjun walked Johnny to the front with the suit in his arms.

“Thank you,” Johnny said. “I literally could not have been able to figure this out without you. You were a huge help,” Johnny told him. “Thank you so much.”

“It was my pleasure,” Renjun assured him. “You were wonderful to work with. If you actually have just another moment, I just want to get this tailoring appointment settled before I let you go.”

“Of course,” Johnny agreed, Renjun directing him back to the service counter. The two of them ironed out a time for both Johnny as well as Kun’s schedule, Johnny having to go back in his phone a couple of times before they managed it. Johnny apparently ran his own business so it didn’t really surprise Renjun. The two of them settled on a 3:45 p.m. time slot, fifteen minutes after Kun’s last appointment and during a few hours block that Johnny didn’t have anything planned.

“Thank you, again,” Johnny said. He offered a hand that Renjun took gladly. Renjun glanced down and noticed the ink on Johnny’s hand.

It was an infinity symbol, on the outside of his hand underneath his thumb. The part of the figure eight that crossed on top of the other was a feather, the shape little uneven closer to his thumb. The ink was thick and dark, heavy in a way. Renjun pulled his hand back before he could get caught staring, looking up to see Johnny looking at him softly.

“You’re welcome. Be sure to let me know how that meeting goes,” Renjun replied.

“I will,” Johnny agreed, grinning a little brighter. “See you.”

Renjun lifted a hand in a wave as Johnny left, Renjun taking a deep breath before folding up the suit and hanging the jacket aside for Kun to have for his appointment with Johnny the next day.

“Everybody move! Drinks coming through!” Chanyeol shouted, coming from the bar with an entire tray of drinks. Johnny laughed into his wrist as Chanyeol dropped the tray on the table. “Tequila shots, for the man of the hour and it’s on the house!” He insisted, doling out shots.

“Hyung, no!” Johnny yelled at him. “Stop trying to get me free drinks, I can pay for them!”

“You’re not paying for anything tonight!” Sehun insisted, pulling Johnny into a headlock, which caused Yuta and Hansol to immediately reach over and push the shots out of the way. “Let us love and appreciate you and congratulate you on a loan well earned!” Sehun insisted, yelling so loudly it could be heard over the absolutely blasting EDM playing the club. Johnny shoved him off, the sudden freedom from being shoved under Sehun’s armpit causing him to go flying into Jaehyun, who thankfully caught him. “This a celebration!”

“You’re a shithead!” Johnny yelled back. “I didn’t do anything, I just talked my way into the bank giving me a shot,” Johnny insisted, reaching over to take a shot. “It’s not much in the grand scheme of things.”

“But it is a skill not everyone has,” Donghae commented, coming over to the table. He stole one of the shots, causing Chanyeol to start whining as Donghae had stolen the one in front of him. “Don’t whine, Loey, it’s unbecoming,” Donghae told him, tapping the shot on the table and then taking it before swiping a lime as well.

“Really should’ve thought that one through, hyung,” Sehun suggested, Donghae’s face twisting in disgust.

“What’s it like to be young and still enjoying shit like tequila?” He asked, tossing the lime in his empty shot glass. “Johnny,” he called out, Johnny looking up at him. “I heard congrats are in order. You deserve it.”

“Do I?” Johnny asked, looking unsure.

“You do,” Donghae assured him. “You worked hard, kid. This is a big deal. One loan is going to open a lot of doors for you and that little shop is going to do big things,” he insisted, Johnny grinning at him, though still looking unconvinced. “Besides, where are we gonna get our ink if you shut down?” He pointed out, causing Johnny to let out a laugh as Donghae winked at him. “Enjoy tonight, alright? And listen to Loey for once, you won’t always be getting free drinks in here. Take it while he’s offering.”

“Understood,” Johnny replied, Donghae wishing them a good night before leaving the table.

“One day, hyung will like me as much as he likes Johnny and Sehun,” Chanyeol sighed, picking up the tray.

“But not one day soon,” Hansol replied, Chanyeol lunging at him as if to smack him with the tray for his quip. Hansol immediately ducked behind Yuta, hoping Chanyeol would be less likely to hit Yuta than himself. Yuta shoved him off, Hansol whining about being bullied.

“I’ll give you your next piercing 75% off if you don’t maim my main piercer,” Johnny offered, putting an arm in front of Hansol.

“I’ll think about it,” Chanyeol told him, walking back to the bar.

“If hyung kills you one day you’ll have it coming,” Jaehyun said, picking up his shot. “You can only stab so many holes in him at discounted rates before he runs out of places.”

“Maybe we should’ve put a hole in Hansol’s tongue instead of Johnny’s,” Yuta joked, Hansol smacking him in the stomach while Johnny tipped his head back with a laugh. “Not that it’s stopped Johnny from talking smack at all.”

“I pay all of you, I can say whatever I want,” Johnny pointed out. “Speaking of you all-”

“You’re gonna hire someone, aren’t you?” Jaehyun asked.

“Not until we get in that location but aren’t you guys tired of working seven days a week?” Johnny asked, looking at them. “Would do us some good to have some extra help in the shop.”

“Why don’t we just stick a gun in Mark’s hand?” Yuta suggested, Sehun snorting into his beer.

“A terrible idea, to be honest,” Johnny said, referring to their front desk attendant-slash-secretary. Mark had begged off the celebration that night for classes in the morning but Johnny was going to feed him beer the next night whether he liked it or not. Mark deserved it, especially considering he was working for minimum wage making appointments while also taking grueling musicology courses at the local uni. “Next we’re gonna be suggesting Sehun come in and start punching holes in people’s ears.”

“Hey, I’m good with my hands, I’m not that good,” Sehun said, raising said hands. He was a DJ, not an artist.

“I’m just suggesting it in the future, I don’t mean now,” Johnny assured them. “I don’t have enough on my plate with the four of you?” Johnny suggested, bumping his shoulder into Hansol’s.

“Of course you do,” Hansol agreed. “But maybe once we get that new location ready it would be nice to have just one day off a week?” He suggested with a little nervous smile, Johnny laughing but nodding his head.

“I would love nothing more than to give that to you guys,” Johnny told them.

“Alright, I’m back, and we’re here to have a good time. I also stole Kai,” Chanyeol said, dragging said man by his tattered shirt front to the table, Kai whining but holding two more shots and lime wedges on a tray. “I know you were talking business while I was gone and I’m not having it. Tonight’s about a job well done. So,” he picked up his shot and his lime wedge with his other hand, “to Neo 127. And to Johnny, the man who talked a several million won loan into existence.” Johnny blushed while Hansol elbowed him with a grin. “Congrats, kid, you’re really doing it.”

They all clinked shot glasses before taking them down.

It had been a few months since Renjun saw him in the store, it was warmer out now and Renjun had taken to rolling the sleeves of his button-downs up his arms in an effort to combat the warmth. It was only May now and Renjun knew it was only going to get warmer the further into the year they got and the store was well conditioned but it was still hard. He turned from his table at the sound of the door, however, and could no longer blame just the heat outside for the flush creeping up his neck.

Johnny walked into the shop and was wearing an outfit not too unlike Renjun’s, a pressed button-down, though his was a dark burgundy shade in contrast to Renjun’s sky blue one and a pair of tight jeans, sculpted to cling to his thick thighs and shapely calves, tucked into a pair of combat boots, the same pair of combat boots Renjun could remember him wearing from before. He looked good, handsome, walking casually with a case wrapped around his shoulders and resting against his hip, hands in his pockets. But Renjun’s eyes zeroed in on what he didn’t see before.

Johnny’s arms were filled with ink. His right arm was entirely black and white line art with an abstract motif. Some of them looked older than others, ink heavier and thicker while others were pretty wisps of ink against his skin. None of them looked new though, a completely full arm of ink disappearing under the rolled-up sleeve.

His other arm, however, looked newer than the other. It was just as full of ink but these were colored. All of it was a watery pastel wash, a nature theme. Renjun could spot a weeping willow on the inside of his wrist, gladiolus speckling the outside. This one looked like it was still a work in progress, a few blank places here and there waiting to be filled with color.

Renjun tried not to stare but he just felt like there was so much to see. If his arms looked like that Renjun wondered what the rest of him looked like, could remember spotting the little flower behind his right ear, the peek of ink underneath his henley, the infinity symbol on the outside of his hand. Johnny clearly wasn’t shy about his tattoos and Renjun suddenly had a lot of questions.

Johnny’s face didn’t look different, however, just the same with his eyebrow ring and pretty eyes and signature lips. Renjun found that comforting, even if he had colored his hair. Renjun wondered if this was closer to his natural color, a soft honey brown with blond highlights, wavy and cute. It looked just as good but somehow made his angles look softer, sweeter and brought out the roundness of his features.

Renjun did not last long in the shadows, however, as it seemed Johnny was actively seeking him out. He came around the corner of a fixture, finding Renjun standing at the men’s button-downs and his face split into a grin.

“Renjun,” he greeted, Renjun turning with big eyes. “I’m glad I found you. Sorry, it’s been so long. I meant to come in and see you but I’ve been a bit busy lately,” he explained, lifting a hand to scratch his brow with a fingertip, looking away shyly.

“It’s okay. You’re a busy man,” Renjun excused. “But what are you looking for me for?” He asked, genuinely curious. Renjun would never decline a handsome guy, especially a guy as tall, dark and handsome as Johnny, looking for him but it was… unexpected.

“Well, you asked me to let you know how the loan went. It went great,” Johnny said, clearly excited. “They approved it that day. I meant to come in and tell you about it as soon as possible but I was, uhm… busy that weekend,” he said, seeming to get shyer by the admission. Renjun tried not to let his mind wander with the idea of Johnny celebrating with whoever his very pretty, Renjun was sure, girlfriend was.

“A lot of celebrating to do?” Renjun quipped anyway because he couldn’t help himself and hoped he sounded more teasing than bitter.

“You could say that,” Johnny replied with a laugh. “I just wanted to let you know. And thank you again, I really think that suit had something to do with it. I had no idea you could feel so confident like that,” Johnny admitted and Renjun laughed gently.

“The suit makes the man, they say,” Renjun insisted. “But I’m glad it went so well. Congrats,” he told him.

“Thank you. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long, we moved locations and it was months of remodeling but we just had our grand reopening and I wanted to offer you something,” Johnny said but Renjun immediately had his hands up even as Johnny went for his case.

“Oh no, I can’t-”

“It’s not really anything,” Johnny said, pulling a couple of cards from his case. “Please, take them. It’s just a business card for the shop and a discount if you want anything and I really don’t even know if it’ll interest you but I wanted you to have them.” Johnny took one of Renjun’s hands, pressing the cards into it. Renjun closed his fingers around it with a soft smile. “It’s just a little thank you. You really helped me out that day, I wanted to say thank you somehow.”

“Okay,” Renjun acquiesced. Johnny let go of his hand and Renjun held onto the cards, pulling them towards him. “You really don’t have to.”

“I know,” Johnny agreed. “I wanted to. Anyway, I don’t want to take you away from your job. Knowing Lay, he’d kill me for distracting one of his favorites,” he said, winking at Renjun, who shook his head with a laugh. “I just wanted to let you know and give you those. If you decide you want something, give the number call, ask for Johnny, alright?”

“I will. Thank you,” Renjun agreed.

“Thank you. I’ll see you,” Johnny said, grinning once more before taking his leave. Renjun slumped against the table for a moment before glancing around and heading to the back. Renjun closed himself into a dressing room for a moment, finally looking at the cards Johnny had pushed into his hands.

One was a business card, NEO 127 written across the front. It was a plain black card but the writing on the front was blocky and lime green on the black background. He turned it over, _seoul’s original tattoo and piercing shop_ written across the back, the shop’s address, phone number and website underneath it, followed by the handle _@neo127ink_ and the logo of several social media platforms along the bottom of the card. He turned to the other one, a discount card punched all six times with a star-shaped hole punch and the 50% off square signed with JS. He turned that one over as well, finding a note from Johnny on the section that wasn’t punched out.

_Whatever you want, just ask for me. I’ll make it good. -JS_

If Renjun didn’t know any better he’d have called that a come on.

“Hey, Ten-ge,” Renjun said, tucking the cards into his messenger bag in the break room. Ten looked up from his lunch, curious. “Where did Sicheng-ge say he started working?” Renjun asked, shoving his bag back into his locker and shutting it. Ten shifted his body, slouching in his chair.

“Neo 127. It’s a tattoo and piercing shop downtown,” he said, going back to scrolling through his phone. “He kept saying he wasn’t going to find a tattoo shop in Seoul and he was going to work minimum wage forever but they just had their grand reopening. He said the owner just went through a huge relocation and remodel, he got lucky that the guy was looking for a new artist who knew their way around a piercing gun.”

Renjun hummed, sitting down with him. He pulled out his phone then, opening instagram to check out the handle @neo127ink.

He didn't know what he expected to find other than the, obviously, excellent art from the artists at this place. The feed was full of different colors, art, styles, a gorgeous blend of great art on a variety of skin tones. But alongside the art were more recent photos, most of them being the artists themselves, the shop, the grand reopening that Renjun heard about.

There was a photo of Johnny towards the top with a group of three other men all looking to be of similar age. Johnny was in the middle, smiling so brightly and widely, his arms around the men around him. The one on his right was a little shorter but just as broad with a nose ring and dark silver hair, eyes crinkled up in little crescents and both cheeks dimpled with how big his smile was. The two on his left were approximately the same height as the latter, still shorter than Johnny (Renjun felt justified in finding Johnny so tall suddenly) and also thinner, more leanly built. The one directly next to him was astronomically pretty with huge eyes and a pretty mouth. He was sporting snake bites looped around the corners of his plush lower lip and had a head of shaggy, black hair. The last one was also very pretty, and Renjun could tell he wasn't Korean based on his features alone. He was a classic beauty for Japanese men, big eyes, narrow features, and had a mess of platinum blond hair on his head pulled back in a half-up style, thin lips pulled back into a grin, showing off all his pretty straight and white teeth.

_Thank you to everyone who came to the grand re-opening. We had such a great time with so many new customers and visiting with regulars. Can't wait to see you all in the future as well and be sure to welcome our newest piercer and artist Sicheng (@winwinning) when you come by._

_Thanks again for making Neo 127 what it is. See you soon._

Renjun swiped to see more photos, a single shot of Sicheng in all his dark brown-haired, lip and nose studded glory next in the set. He looked mildly caught off guard but smiled for the camera anyway, holding a peace sign up to his face for the photo. The next photo was that of a boy, closer to Renjun’s age with green hair and rings all up his ear. The platinum blond from before was hugging him around the middle and was craning his neck, lips puckered towards the boy’s cheek. The green-haired boy looked mildly surprised, mouth open a bit in shock. There were photos of others in the set, people he assumed were regulars or friends of the employees but the last photo was of Johnny. He looked adorably shy with a hand covering half of his face, looking down at a cake that had been placed front of him. Renjun couldn’t properly read it but he had a feeling it was a congratulations cake, three candles lit in the corner and the room dark other than the little light the candles were casting on Johnny’s face.

Renjun spent his entire lunch break looking at photos from the tattoo parlor, all of the works having the artists mentioned in the caption. Renjun paused more than once on Johnny’s work, all of it so animated and bright, like the art was going to pop off the skin it had been printed on. It was a little bit cartoonish but it was clearly a style he had honed, and it was quite a bit different from the Neo Traditional work that was always labeled with Jaehyun’s name and the stereotypical if unrelentingly gorgeous Japanese style works that had Yuta’s name on them. Almost all of the piercing works were captioned as Hansol before Sicheng arrived, only a few here and there being tagged with Johnny’s name.

“You think I should get that industrial I keep talking about?” Renjun asked towards the end of his lunch period.

“Yes,” Ten replied immediately but didn’t even bother to look up from his phone. “Sicheng’s only been begging you to let him put holes in your ears for forever, you should let him. Besides, your ears are so small and cute, it’s gonna look great,” Ten assured him, finally looking up to shoot him a smile.

“Maybe I will.”

_“Thanks for calling Neo 127, this is Yuta, how can I help you?”_

“Hi, I was hoping to make an appointment.”

_“An appointment? No consultation?”_

“Afraid not. I already know what I want, if that’s okay.”

_“A man who knows what he wants, I like it already. What can we do for ya?”_

“I was hoping to get an industrial done.”

_“Easily. We have two piercers working here, was there one you wanted to work with in particular?”_

“I was… actually told to ask for Johnny.”

_“Johnny?”_

“Yes.”

_“Well, I’d hate to disappoint the man in charge. He’ll be in all week, what works for you?”_

“Hey boss man,” Yuta said, leaning in the doorway of Johnny’s room. Johnny didn’t even bother looking up, filling in Junmyeon’s newest tattoo with color. Junmyeon looked up, however, lifting a brow.

“What is it?” Johnny asked, steady hand holding down Junmyeon’s arm while the gun buzzed in his hand. He couldn’t help but not be surprised anymore, Yuta really had the worst timing when it came to literally anything. Johnny loved him to death but he couldn’t afford to be jumpy anymore when Yuta liked to try and bother him in the middle of a session. Besides, Junmyeon would kill him if he fucked up his half sleeve this far into it.

“Got a call yesterday, completely slipped my mind,” Yuta said and Johnny knew that tone of voice. Nothing slipped Yuta’s mind, Yuta’s mind was actually a steel trap regardless of how airheaded he acted. Sicheng still didn’t believe it but Johnny couldn’t really blame him. Sicheng was a level-headed man with a specialty in Blackwork, Johnny didn’t think Sicheng really understood Yuta’s nonsense at all but they hadn’t killed each other yet and that was good enough for him.

“Oh?” Johnny asked, finally lifting the gun from Junmyeon’s skin. While Junmyeon flexed his fingers to get some feeling back, Johnny looked at Yuta, curious.

“Yeah, a guy called about an appointment. A piercing, an industrial, y’know, child’s play,” Yuta insisted, Johnny rolling his eyes at him but he was smiling despite himself. “He said he was told to ask for you. God, what was his name…” Yuta pretended not to remember, tapping his fingertips against his lower lip. Johnny gave him a pointed look, knowing where this was going while Junmyeon looked entirely too amused by what he was witnessing.

“Yuta,” Johnny said, tone pointed.

“Ah, that’s right. Renjun,” Yuta said, smiling so satisfied with him. Johnny sighed at him, pressing his lips together. “Said he was told to ask for you. So I scheduled him for tomorrow, around seven. I know it’s late but we’ll still be around, we always are and it’s a while after your last appointment, plenty of time to clean up before he shows up, hm?” Yuta suggested but he smiled knowing smile that Johnny had a serious love/hate relationship with. “Just thought I’d let you know before I totally forgot. I’ll leave you alone now,” Yuta said, waving a hand before departing the room.

Johnny sighed deeply, going about changing out the ink for the rest of Junmyeon’s newest piece. He had just finished and was ready to go back in when he caught the look on Junmyeon’s face.

“What?” Johnny asked, already tired even though he hadn’t even said a word yet.

“Who’s Renjun?” Junmyeon’s asked. Johnny scoffed, leaning back over Junmyeon’s arm, the machine beginning to buzz in his hand as he placed the needle to his skin again. “C’mon, Johnny, you’re really not gonna tell me?” He wheedled while Johnny carefully filled in the rest of the piece. Johnny had been rather proud of this sketch of a cartoonishly cute hummingbird, especially on a man like Junmyeon’s arm but he was getting rather cross with it when it turned out to take a lot more time to finish, especially as it was giving Junmyeon an opening to bother him.

“He’s just someone I know,” Johnny brushed off.

“Someone you know who asked for you specifically when he called about getting a piercing done,” Junmyeon commented, Johnny taking a deep breath and sighing through his nose. “The only reason someone would do that, especially for a piercing, is if you told them to do that. So how do you know him?” He asked.

“He did me a favor a couple of months back, I wanted to say thank you,” Johnny explained shortly. “I gave him a discount card and told him to ask for me, that’d I take care of it.” Johnny pulled away, shutting off the gun. “You’re done. Get outta my office.”

“Cute,” Junmyeon said, wiggling his fingers again. “That’s all, he just did a favor and you thanked him by giving him a discount to your shop? Mighty big favor he must’ve done for you,” Junmyeon commented, Johnny rolling across the room in his desk chair, pulling off his gloves to grab the wrap from his desk.

“It was,” Johnny admitted. “It was the least I could do.” Johnny wrapped up Junmyeon’s arm with only half focus, his eyes starting to drift as he started thinking. “He did a lot for me that day.”

“Johnny,” Junmyeon said, voice soft, Johnny’s eyes finally looking up to meet his. “I don’t think it was just that favor that had an impact on you that day.”

“No,” Johnny sighed, letting out a little, bitter laugh. “No, it wasn’t.”

Johnny walked Junmyeon out that night, reminding him to be careful with it before retiring back to his room. He pulled up his calendar on his computer, finding the email note from Yuta about the appointment the next night. It was a Wednesday tomorrow, a slow day for business but Yuta had pushed Renjun all the way back until seven. Johnny didn’t know what Yuta’s plan was but he made a note in his calendar for it.

7 PM, Industrial

7 PM, Renjun

“I can’t believe you’re finally gonna get a piercing and I won’t even be doing it,” Sicheng complained, his normal tone of voice making him sound a lot less whiny than he was actually being. Renjun stepped into the shop on his day off, Sicheng holding the door for him. “You’re finally going to get that ring done that I kept telling you to do and you’re gonna let someone else stick a needle in your ear.”

“When the opportunity arises,” Renjun replied, shrugging a shoulder. Somehow he felt underdressed, but maybe it was because he knew he was going to see Johnny and he wasn’t in his work clothes. He was wearing jeans, ratty converse and one of Ten’s oversized sweaters over a plain tank top. It was windy today, a lot more windy than he was expecting and it had cooled down significantly as the sun was threatening to go down. Sicheng, however, looked good as ever, with his tousled blond hair, flannel, and thick-soled boots. Sometimes Renjun wasn’t entirely convinced Sicheng didn’t stumble out of a kdrama, unendingly pretty and sporting a hoop in the lower right corner of his lips, a stud adorning his left nostril.

“I’ve been offering to put holes in your ears for months. The opportunity has been there,” Sicheng insisted.

“But that’s probably not safe,” the man at the counter suggested. Renjun turned towards the voice, spotting the man with platinum blond hair leaning against the counter. His hair was half tied up again, a few loose pieces falling into his eyes and he offered Renjun a smile, twice as blinding and sweet in person as it had been on Renjun’s phone. “I’m Yuta, you must know Chengie already.”

“I do,” Renjun replied, walking up to the counter. “I have an appointment with Johnny today.”

“Ah,” Yuta said, standing upright and going for the computer. “You’re the industrial, I presume,” he suggested, Renjun nodding in agreeance. “He ran out with Jaehyun a little while ago, but he should be back soon. Make yourself comfortable, bother Sicheng while you wait, I wholeheartedly encourage it,” Yuta said, smiling at Sicheng, who rolled his eyes looking the most fond Renjun had ever seen him towards another person. “I’ll be in the back if you need me. Be nice to the guests, Sicheng,” Yuta joked, getting a throw pillow thrown at him from the couch in the lobby.

“Asshole!” Sicheng yelled, Yuta laughing loud and bright as he walked down the hall. Renjun looked at Sicheng, knowingly, causing Sicheng to wave a hand. “Don’t say it,” he sighed, sitting down on the couch and pulling his knees to his chest.

“He’s cute,” Renjun teased, climbing onto the low sofa with him. Sicheng shoved him but Renjun only tipped forward to lean into Sicheng’s shoulder, the two of them ending up cuddling on the couch, low to the ground and pressed up against the front of the building. Renjun let his eyes look over the shop while leaning up against his friend, the two of them having fallen into a companionable silence as they so often did.

The front counter was long, dark wood and had a glass case in the front showcasing a variety of rings that customers could buy. His eyes moved across the front room, the wall on the other side of the doorway plastered with sketches and pictures that Renjun could only assume the artists had done themselves. He could spot a couple of Sicheng’s own, his Blackwork art jumping out amongst the colors of the others. His eyes continued, finding the counter against the far wall, curling around the corner and turning into a bar with a couple of stools. The counter held a little sign with their Wifi and password as well as cups and a tiny little Keurig machine with pods on a rack next to it. With it along with the seats and sofa they were clearly going for a homey vibe, the late afternoon sun slanting through the big picture windows on the front of the store being quite helpful in painting the picture, the focal wall painted with a galaxy mural but the others a rich magenta shade that managed to not be tacky against the dark tile flooring.

“Sorry we’re late, Chanyeol wouldn’t stop talking,” the man with dark silver hair called out, walking into the shop. Johnny came in behind him, laughing gently as the shop door closed behind him.

The man with dark silver hair set a bag down on the counter, pushing his hair away from his face casually. Renjun gave him a once over, his combat boots, distressed jeans and a graphic tee with a simple gray long sleeve underneath. He certainly was handsome, that was for sure, a classically handsome Korean man with almond eyes and a pretty, pink mouth, strong jaw and thick brows. His features were only off-set by the nose ring, a silver hoop in his right nostril that Renjun was sure caused girls to fall at his feet.

“I keep telling you all to stop goading him and you never listen,” Johnny insisted, his eyes finally looking around and spotting Renjun. “Renjun! Oh my God, we had an appointment didn’t we?” Johnny said, closing his eyes with a sigh only to open them, looking so apologetic. “I’m so sorry, I hope you didn’t wait long.”

“I didn’t wait long at all,” Renjun insisted, hoping he was able to cover up his surprise in seeing Johnny looking like he did. Johnny at work was, apparently, an entirely different creature than in Renjun’s place of employment. Not that that was a big surprise, considering the vast difference in their jobs and the atmospheres of them.

Johnny was standing in front of him in jeans that had rips all the way up the thighs from the knees and was wearing a plain black t-shirt that Renjun was pretty sure it should be illegal to look that good in. But the real kicker was the backward snapback on his head, showing off his forehead and putting his eyebrow ring on clear display, a ring that was significantly more obvious than the one Renjun had seen him wearing. This one was black, either end a black spike and much more eye-catching than the plain silver beads he wore in the shop. Johnny just looked like he owned a tattoo shop like this, tattooed arms, which Renjun was now realizing the right one was just a half sleeve, ending just under his elbow while the left one was on its way to disappearing all the way up under his short sleeve, and pretty space themed collarbone piece exposed by the stretched-out collar of his shirt.

Renjun was mildly glad Sicheng immediately stood up, stopping Renjun from choking on his own thoughts.

“Yes, hyung, we sat here for a whole five minutes. Where is your professionalism?” He insisted, getting an eye roll out of Johnny but he was grinning as he did so. “I shouldn’t be letting Renjun anywhere near you if you can’t even manage to show up to an appointment on time,” Sicheng laid on, walking towards them only step behind the counter. “I should be the one punching holes in Renjun’s ears.”

“You guys know each other?” Johnny asked, gesturing between the two of them.

“Yes-”

“We used to work together,” Renjun cut Sicheng off. “Before Sicheng started here. We started at the store around the same time.”

“Ah,” Johnny replied. “Well, since I kept you both waiting maybe we should get into it.”

“Be careful with him, he’s sensitive,” Sicheng warned, Renjun squawking in surprise.

“I am not!” He retorted. “Listen to nothing Sicheng-ge says, he’s an asshole,” Renjun insisted, staring directly at Sicheng, who waved a hand, the man still at the counter smothering his giggles into the sleeve of his shirt.

“I’ll keep it in mind. C’mon, let’s get that ring in your ear,” Johnny told him, ushering him gently towards the hallway. Renjun let himself be led, following closely behind Johnny until Johnny paused at a doorway, waving a hand. “Step into my office,” he joked, Renjun laughing gently before stepping in, the office seeming to be the farthest back, tucked all the way into the corner.

Renjun paused for a moment to take in the room. The walls were painted navy blue, the window in the corner turning everything golden. There were a couple of tall, thin bookshelves tucked against the wall and a small desk against the adjacent wall. Renjun looked over at the bed, a simple black leather thing with a table and a sink next to it. Johnny walked over to the desk chair, sitting down and rolling over to the bed with a smile.

“Take a seat,” he said, Renjun walking over to sit on the edge of the bed while Johnny washed his hands, pulling a couple of fresh gloves from a box nearby. “Yuta said you wanted to get an industrial,” Johnny said, Renjun nodding. “Simple, classic,” Johnny commented, Renjun smiling a little wider at his comments. Johnny rolled closer, their legs pressed together. “Which one?”

“This one,” Renjun said, turning to show Johnny his right ear. Johnny breathed laugh, reaching out and touched his ear, running his thumb along the curve of it.

“Not a single piercing. You sure you don’t want something a little more… subdued? A single lobe to start, maybe?” He suggested.

“You think I can’t take a little pain?” Renjun shot back. Johnny laughed properly this time, his thumb brushing across his earlobe before letting go.

“I won’t judge,” Johnny said, pushing off and grabbing for his case, coming back with his needles. “I’m just surprised is all. I never noticed but I definitely would’ve thought you’d have at least one already,” Johnny admitted, clicking the case open and pulling out a needle.

“Nope,” Renjun said, looking at the needle and then Johnny’s face. “You’ll be my first.”

“I’ll be careful, I promise,” Johnny replied, voice soft as he smiled at him. Renjun shifted, licking his lips as he looked away. “Alright, I’m gonna sterilize the needle and your ear and then I’ll mark where I’m gonna poke you. Let me know if it’s not how you want it, I can fix it. Once you like it I’ll pierce it, okay?”

“Alright,” Renjun agreed.

Renjun shifted until he was seated almost fully facing the wall while Johnny cleaned the needle. He used a clip to push Renjun’s hair back, running an alcohol wipe over the curve of his ear before taking a marker and making little dots on either side of the top of his ear.

“Here,” Johnny said, offering a mirror, Renjun turning his head to assess the marks. “If it’s off, speak now or forever hold your peace,” Johnny joked, Renjun laughing softly.

“No, it’s good,” Renjun assured him, passing him back the mirror.

“Alright. Here’s the ring I’m gonna put in,” Johnny said, showing him the bar. “It’s just a plain sterling silver but you’ll want it while it heals. Fake metal can sometimes cause reactions, especially if you’ve never had a piercing before. You ready?” He asked. Renjun nodded, wringing his hands together while Johnny readied the needle. He paused, smiling at him.

“You want something to hold?” Johnny asked. Renjun scoffed, rolling his eyes. “I’m just being accommodating. You want something to bite on, these can hurt.”

“I think I can handle a little pain,” Renjun retorted. Johnny shook his head. “It’s just my ear, it’s not like I’m getting a tongue ring or something.”

“Why does everyone always say that as an example of something painful. My tongue ring didn’t even hurt that much and it heals so quickly, I was only silenced for about a week. Blessed silence, Hansol kept saying.”

“You have a tongue ring- ow!” Renjun said, cutting himself off with his own exclamation. Johnny had pushed the needle through his ear while he was speaking, Renjun reacting only a second late. Johnny pulled the needle clean out and replaced it with the bar, screwing on the beads on either end of the bar. He pulled his hands back, holding them up in mock surrender.

“You’re done,” He said with a smile and then went to the sink, cleaning the needle again before he put it back in his case. Renjun grabbed for the mirror, turning it to his ear. The silver bar spanned the top of his ear, either side a little bit red and swollen from the initial piercing but it looked good anyway. Renjun had a feeling it would look even better once healed and he smiled to himself. Then he set the mirror down, looking at Johnny’s back.

“You have a tongue ring?” Renjun asked again. Johnny glanced at him over his shoulder, pulling a paper towel free from the dispenser then came back over, setting the needle back into his case. He looked directly into Renjun’s eyes, opening his mouth and sticking out his tongue.

In the middle of Johnny’s pink tongue was a little black ball, the bead on the end of a barbell that was piercing right in the middle of his tongue. He lifted his tongue, the tip pressed against his front teeth to show Renjun the underside, the bar and the bead on the other end very visible. Johnny put his tongue back into his mouth and looked at Renjun with a little smirk, pulling his gloves off his hands.

“How long have you had it?” Renjun asked.

“Only about a year,” Johnny said. “Hansol did it for me, said it would shut me up for a while. They do actually heal really quick though, it only took about three weeks.”

“I don’t believe you,” Renjun insisted.

“You wanna try it?” Johnny teased, Renjun shoving at his shoulder and getting a laugh from Johnny for it. “I’m telling you, it’s not bad,” Johnny insisted. “I did lie though, it hurts like a bitch. You ever bite your tongue? Like that. And it’s weird as hell to get used to.” Renjun eyed his mouth as he was talking Johnny noticed. “Not so bad though once you get used to it. I almost talk exactly like I used to.” He chose not to mention it, Renjun’s eyes meeting his again and he resisted the urge to make a comment about kissing with it. He did, however, move his tongue inside his mouth, lips parted just a little so Renjun could see, the underside of the ring clicking softly against his teeth. Renjun’s eyes darted down and then immediately back up, Johnny smirking just a little.

“I should pay you for this,” Renjun said, gesturing vaguely to his earring.

“Nah, it’s on the house,” Johnny insisted.

“No,” Renjun whined, Johnny grinning at him. “You gave me a discount, I’m paying for it.”

“I can’t take your money,” Johnny said. “Consider it a favor.”

“I’m paying you,” Renjun insisted, getting off the bed and to his feet, Johnny pushing off and rolling over to his desk with a sigh. “You can’t stop me. Even if you don’t take my money I saw that tip jar,” Renjun pointed out, sticking his hands in his pockets. Johnny looked at him with a pout, a very different expression than the one Renjun knew he hadn’t made up in his head a second ago.

Renjun all but bounced back down the hallway, Sicheng grabbing him by the shoulders to get a good look at it. The man with dark silver hair was still there, Yuta, the green haired boy as well as the one with the snake bites having congregated as well.

"Aw, it's cute," the man with the snake bites said with a little smile. "I'm Hansol, by the way. I don't know if anyone introduced you to us or not. That's Jaehyun," he waved a hand at the man with dark silver hair, who waved at Renjun, smiling so big his dimples appeared. "And kiddo here is Mark. You must know Yuta and Sicheng already," he said pointing to the green haired boy.

"'Kiddo,' Renjun's younger than Mark," Sicheng commented, Renjun reaching out to smack him while Jaehyun laughed, Mark looking excited by the news.

“How much younger?” Johnny asked and Renjun looked back to see Johnny looking surprised by the news. Renjun shifted a little, pushing his hair away from his face nervously.

“I dunno, I mean I was born in 2000,” he commented, a laugh bursting out of Mark while Jaehyun tipped forward to rest his head on the counter, giggling into the glass while Hansol looked absolutely appalled by that information. “I’m not that young!” Renjun insisted.

“Mark was born in ‘99, you’re not that young,” Yuta assured him. “Hansol’s just sad that he’s getting old.”

“I’m only a few months younger than him, hush,” Johnny said, walking closer to them. “Can we not talk about our ages, I’m gonna feel so old. Can you at least be of use and ring Renjun up, Yuta,” Johnny told him, Renjun turning to him with big, surprised eyes.

“Oh, you’re gonna let me pay you, huh?”

“If you tip me I’m gonna lose it to these idiots,” Johnny said with a smile, pointing to his co-workers. “The last thing I need is for your money to go directly into their pockets.”

“As if we don’t deserve it, having to put up with you,” Jaehyun quipped, Johnny giving him a mock shocked look, mouth open and everything. “I know he seems sweet but I swear he’s insufferable as a boss,” Jaehyun told Renjun. “He expects you to laugh at all of his jokes even if they’re bad.”

“How are you surviving?” Renjun asked, handing his discount card and debit to Yuta, tone thick with sarcasm.

“I never should’ve let you in here,” Johnny sighed. “If I had known that you two were going to pick on me I would’ve made sure Renjun never met any of you.”

“Well, it’s too late now, I’m adopting him,” Hansol informed him, Yuta cackling as he handed Renjun his card back.

“He was my little brother first!” Sicheng insisted. “Meet me in the streets, hyung.”

“Look at what you’ve done,” Mark said, Renjun shrugging his shoulders.

Johnny really thought that would be the end of it, the single ring in Renjun’s ear and he wouldn’t see him again. He was fine with it, they didn’t owe each other anything anymore. Renjun did him a favor and Johnny did him one, they didn’t really have a reason to see each other anymore. So he stopped short when he passed Sicheng’s room and saw Renjun sitting on his bed with a little smile on his face.

“What’re you doing here?” Johnny asked, but he was smiling as he did it, leaning into Sicheng’s room.

“I told him I was gonna put holes in his ears,” Sicheng said, putting his piercing gun away. Johnny walked in, Renjun turning his head to let Johnny look at his left ear. There were two rings in the upper corner of his ear, a perfect double helix piercing. Johnny let out a breathless laugh, the two studs perfectly spaced. Renjun hadn’t even come in about his industrial so he had no doubts this would heal fine as well.

“Is your industrial even healed yet?” Johnny asked. It had been a number of weeks since Renjun was in his own office but there was no way his industrial was already healed. Renjun turned his head for Johnny to look at his own handiwork, the silver bar still in place and the swelling having done down significantly. It looked really good. It wasn’t done, not by a long shot, but it was well on its way.

“You really couldn’t wait, huh?” Johnny asked, stepping back to cross his arms over his chest.

“Couldn’t help myself,” Renjun replied. Johnny shook his head with a grin. “You don’t like them?”

“They look good on you. Gonna look even better when they’re healed,” he assured him. “Maybe I shouldn’t have tried to get you in here, I don’t know if we’re gonna get rid of you now.”

“Are you trying to?”

“I’d never,” Johnny replied with a wink, leaving the room.

“Am I allowed to do this?” Hansol asked, stopping with the gun already in his hand.

“Oh my God,” Yuta groaned. “Would you just puncture Renjun’s ears already?” He said, gesturing to the man already sitting on his bed. “You got this far.”

“You think I wanna be in trouble if Johnny finds out?”

“His industrial’s almost healed. Just put a fucking hole in his ear,” Sicheng goaded.

“It’s just my earlobes, it’s not like they’re gonna be that hard to take care of,” Renjun pointed out. Hansol sighed at him but lifted the gun again, leaning in to line up to the dots he had marked for the piercings. “They’re gonna heal faster anyway.”

“I’m gonna die and it’s gonna be your fault.”

“Pretty sure there shouldn’t be this many people in this room,” Jaehyun commented, leaning against the wall by Hansol’s sink. “I think Johnny’s gonna be more upset about us breaking policy than you punching a couple of more holes in a paying customer’s ears.”

“That’s not what I mean,” Hansol said softly but he pierced Renjun’s right and then left ear, putting the studs in them. They were sterling silver, matched the rest of the jewelry collection that was slowly growing on his ears. Hansol handed him a mirror, Renjun looking at them with a little smile. “I hate how good you look. It makes it so easy to cave when I just know you’re gonna look good with all these rings when we’re done.”

“How many are you going for?” Yuta asked.

“I dunno. I’ll figure it out when I get there,” Renjun said, admiring the way the light glinted off of them. “I should probably stop while I’m ahead though. Hansol might be right, Johnny might actually be upset if we poke any more holes in my ears while they’re still healing.”

“Thank you!” Hansol said, loudly. “Stop trying to get me in trouble.”

His relief only lasted for a few short hours, however, Johnny showing up to the shop late in the afternoon and Renjun was still there. It seemed like Renjun was always there these days, sitting around in the front room making conversation with Mark, or his boyfriend and ever-present pain-in-the-ass Donghyuck. Everyone else had retired to their rooms to actually get work done, a rarity in Neo 127, leaving the three of them in the front room. Renjun greeted Johnny with a smile, Donghyuck waving a hand as Johnny came in.

“Afternoon, problem children,” he said, Renjun gasping at the implication. Johnny laughed, noticing the look on Renjun’s face and then did a double-take. He stopped on his way to the hall, scrutinizing Renjun’s features until he seemed to find what he was looking for.

“What?” Renjun asked, leaning away from him.

“Those are new,” he said, pointing at his ears. “When did you get those done?”

“Today,” Renjun admitted but he sounded shy.

“They look good, right, hyung?” Donghyuck said, leaning heavily on the front counter. Johnny sighed deeply, shaking his head.

“Yeah,” he agreed. “They always do,” he admitted, walking away from them. Renjun let out a breath, Mark shaking his head while Donghyuck elbowed Renjun, Renjun shoving him away from him.

Renjun knew he wouldn’t be able to hide it, the ever-growing collection of jewelry on his ears, especially at work. He was glad the boys had given him the smallest studs they had available, it made fewer people look twice at him while he was working. His industrial was easily the thing that caught him the most attention but he paid their confused eyes no attention, continuing to do his job with a smile. He knew he had been found out when Kun approached him, however.

“More new rings?” Kun asked, eying his ears. Renjun ducked his head, letting his fringe fall over his eyes as he helped Kun hang up the articles he had already tailored, tagging them with the names of the guests they were meant to go to. “Should I be worried you’re gonna come into the shop with one in your nose one day?” Kun suggested, Renjun snorting as he tied a sash on one of the dresses.

“I’m not that crazy yet,” Renjun replied.

“Yet,” Ten said in his ear, Renjun turning to glare him.

Sometimes Renjun really hated that Kun and Ten were the tailors at the store. Alone he could handle Ten’s personality and Kun’s entirely too well-meaning intentions but together it was a lot to handle. It was like he never even left China, his parents having sprouted out of the damn ground just to bother him just in different bodies. He really appreciated having a couple of people like Ten and Kun in his life but he really would appreciate them minding their own business more.

“Is this about that guy?” Kun asked, Renjun groaning and walking away from him. He pulled a couple more articles from the rack, hanging them up next to the others to tag them. “I’m not judging, I just want to know,” he said, turning away from the rack and crossing his arms over his chest.

“It’s not about Johnny,” Renjun retorted.

“But you knew he meant Johnny,” Ten pointed out, wrapping a dress around a mannequin to start the adjustments.

“Who else would he mean?!” Renjun asked, his tone pitching up without his permission. “Just because I’m spending time with him doesn’t mean this had anything to do with him,” Renjun insisted, clipping a tag to a lapel of a suit jacket. “I’m just letting Sicheng do what he always wanted to do, put a bunch of holes in my ears.”

“Are you going to get more?” Kun asked.

“I dunno,” Renjun said, voice going soft. “Maybe. I kind of like them.”

“As long as you’re not modifying your body for some boy, we don’t care,” Ten said. “You think I have room to care,” Ten said, pointing at his own ears. Renjun had noticed Ten’s own earrings, he wondered if that was one of the reasons he was so willing to get them done, finding Ten’s inner ear piercings so cool to look at. “Pierce your lip next, see if I care,” Ten brushed off, going back to what he was doing.

“Ten!” Kun scolded, Renjun laughing as he straightened the jacket on the hanger.

“Promise that’s not next on the list.”

“It better not be,” Kun warned him. “I thought Yixing-ge was going to have a heart attack the day Sicheng walked into work with his.”

Then there were his roommates.

“Stop being cooler than me!” Jaemin shouted so loudly Renjun was sure it could be heard through the paper-thin walls of their apartment. Jaemin really had no idea how to use an inside voice so Renjun didn’t know why they moved into an apartment building with such thin walls but if Jaemin got them another noise complaint he was going to throw him on the street.

“Get piercings,” Renjun quipped, kicking the door shut. Jaemin turned to Jeno, who looked up from his phone, looking mildly alarmed.

“Don’t suggest things like that to him, you know he’ll do it,” Jeno said, but he sounded more exasperated than anything else. Renjun laughed, toeing off his shoes before walking further into their apartment. “Jaemin, do not get any piercings. You’ll get fired and then we’ll have to find an even crappier apartment to live in,” Jeno told him.

“I won’t get fired, hardly anyone even looks at my face,” Jaemin pointed out. “You think I should get a nose ring?” He suggested, Jeno sighing deeply while Renjun laughed louder, walking down to his bedroom.

“This is all your fault!” Jeno shouted after him. “No, Jaemin, do not get a nose ring.”

“So who’s the kid?” Chanyeol asked as he sat down, Johnny purposefully ignoring him as he pulled on clean gloves, Chanyeol tilting his head to try and catch his eye. “Oh c’mon, John, you’re not gonna tell me. How rude of you to be ignoring your hyung like this.”

“You want me to finish your tattoo or nah?” Johnny asked, Chanyeol laughing as he lifted his shirt, pulling it off and lying down on Johnny’s bed. Johnny grabbed for a fresh needle and his gun, setting it up before rolling over to his side, adjusting the sketch on his side table. This was going to be a long one, it was a piece he and Chanyeol had been meaning to finish for weeks but the piece was too big and the skin over his ribs too fragile to be going in too frequently to finish.

Johnny had asked Chanyeol if he wanted to keep it a black and white piece after finishing the line art on the cartoonishly large butterfly spanning the left side of his ribs. Chanyeol insisted he wanted it colored, a rather obnoxious palette of vibrant yellows, blues, and greens that, though Johnny was hesitant to admit, was going to look very fresh and tropical against Chanyeol’s pale skin.

“Settle in, we’re gonna be here a while,” Johnny warned him, Chanyeol pulling the pillow at the end towards him and cushioned his head, smiling serenely at Johnny. Johnny snorted softly, leaning down to start in on the piece.

“Well, it’s gonna give me a lot of time to bother you about the kid then,” Chanyeol said, Johnny rolling his eyes as he started filling in the segments in the wings. “Don’t think we didn’t notice. Sehun said he’s always here when he comes to see you. Who is he?”

“He’s not a kid,” Johnny said. “He’s a friend. He helped me out before I went in for the loan. You remember Lay hyung suggesting I stop by that store for a new suit?” Chanyeol hummed in acknowledgment. “He helped me find one, I don’t know if I would’ve been able to figure it out without him. I just gave him a discount when the loan went through, as a thank you. He’s been hanging out ever since. Nothing’s even really going on,” Johnny insisted.

“Do you want something to be going on?” Chanyeol asked. It was a gentle sort of meddling because Johnny knew Chanyeol was trying to do exactly that. If Johnny admitted to anything he knew Chanyeol was going to try and get himself involved somehow, even though he really shouldn’t be.

“Don’t you even think about it,” Johnny told him, glancing up to look at him pointedly but Chanyeol remained smiling at him, so softly. Johnny went back to focusing on what he was doing. He could finish this piece in his sleep if he wanted, he and Chanyeol having been going back and forth on this piece for months. For… so long.

So much longer than Johnny really wanted to think about. They started planning this over beers, and then dinner, and then Johnny was sketching it in bed, Chanyeol wrapped around his back, watching him over his shoulder. He really liked the way it looked, had tweaked and adjusted the design until it was just like how Chanyeol wanted it. He laid down the blackwork in the old shop, willing his hands to not shake as he etched something permanent into the skin of someone he thought was going to be permanent.

He was. Just, not the way he used to picture him.

“I’m just asking,” Chanyeol replied, as though it was true. Johnny knew him far better than to think that was actually the truth. “You haven’t seen someone in a while.”

“It’s been six months, hyung.”

“I know.”

It felt longer and Johnny could feel himself tensing up as he tried to finish placing all of the yellow before he had to take a break. It was far too early in the tattoo for him to be feeling this tense but this also wasn’t the conversation he signed up for before he started in on Chanyeol’s piece. It felt simultaneously like yesterday and ten years ago that he and Chanyeol had broken up, those weeks where they didn’t speak creating a gash that took two more months to mend.

“You shouldn’t feel like you have to restrain yourself from looking for something. Especially if that someone is going to fall right into your lap like Renjun did,” Chanyeol said, invoking his name and Johnny hated it. The sound of Renjun’s name on Chanyeol’s lips. It made his skin itch, made it seem real. He didn’t hate Chanyeol, he didn’t hate Chanyeol saying his name as much as he hated the implication of it. That Renjun was so deep in his life that someone like Chanyeol knew his name and could say it so confidently.

“I don’t know if I’m ready for that,” Johnny confessed.

“How much longer are you gonna wait?” Chanyeol asked. “I’m not worth waiting for, Johnny. Not anymore.”

It took Johnny a full hour and a half to finish Chanyeol’s piece, the butterfly absolutely bursting in color. It felt a lot like an anticlimactic end to a very long story, their love story finishing up with just this cartoonishly large butterfly forever etched into the skin of Chanyeol’s ribs. Johnny gave him the usual lecture about taking care of it despite having told him all of this last time, but Johnny couldn’t remember if he said it all, Chanyeol having cut him off so many times by shoving his tongue down his throat. This time Chanyeol still interrupted him but it’s just to make annoying quips about how he’s an adult and Johnny should stop worrying so much. Johnny had half a mind to charge him full price but he knew he wouldn’t.

When Johnny walked Chanyeol to the front Chanyeol was being a dick and trying to initiate roughhousing Johnny distinctly told him not to do. Johnny ended up pulling him into a chokehold anyway, because he can’t hurt Chanyeol’s sensitive ribs like this and still managed to get him to stop. When he let go Chanyeol grabbed him by the front of his shirt and shoved him back against the wall in an affectionately rough manner.

There’s a gut-wrenching split second where Johnny remembered how Chanyeol used to do this before he’d kiss him but it disappears just as quick as it came.

“Don’t forget to send me my bill,” Chanyeol said, letting go of him a second later.

“You know it. Don’t forget my tip,” Johnny retorted and Chanyeol laughed, loud and unabashed as he headed for the door.

“Your tip? Your tip is all those drinks I give you for free,” Chanyeol quipped. “For real, don’t forget.”

“I’ll remind him,” Jaehyun said and Johnny turned from where he was leaning against the wall by the door to finally notice their audience. Jaehyun was leaning on the counter with a grin on his face, Sicheng sitting on the stool while Renjun is leaning on the end of the counter, an unreadable look in his eyes. “Can’t be letting you out of here with too many discounts, can we? You’ll start getting ideas,” Jaehyun suggested, lifting a brow in his hyung’s direction.

“C’mon, I’m an honest man, you know that, Jae,” Chanyeol insisted. “I gotta get out of here before Sehun burns EXO to the ground though. Catch you later,” Chanyeol said, gently resting a hand on Johnny’s arm before letting go. “See you guys later.”

“See you,” Sicheng called out, Chanyeol waving a hand before leaving. Johnny turned away from the door fully this time, walking back over to them.

“You finished it, then?” Jaehyun asked. One of the only people who had witnessed every step of his and Chanyeol’s relationship and the question weighed heavier on his tongue and in Johnny’s mind than it sounded aloud.

“Yeah,” Johnny agreed with a little smile. “I took a couple of photos,” Johnny said, pulling out his phone to show him. Sicheng and Renjun leaned in as well as Johnny pulled up the photos of the butterfly, several from different angles. Jaehyun swiped through them, Sicheng smiling down at them.

“Fuck, you’re such a good artist,” Sicheng insisted. “You laid the blackwork too, right?” He asked and Johnny nodded.

“Chanyeol hyung and I have been working on this thing for…”

“Forever,” Jaehyun answered for him. “It’s been well over a year now.”

“It looks good,” Renjun said, voice soft. Johnny looked at him. “Gege’s right, you’re a great artist. Did you sketch it too?” He asked, looking up at him.

“Most of it. It’s Chanyeol’s piece and he really wanted to be involved so we talked about it a lot. This one’s been a long time coming,” Johnny said, a little smile on his lips.

Renjun resisted the urge to ask, had a feeling he wouldn’t like the answer. He watched Johnny and whoever this Chanyeol was walk from the backroom, their comradery so easy and comfortable it made something in Renjun’s stomach tumble. It wasn’t the same as watching Johnny and Jaehyun, there was something palpable between Johnny and Chanyeol, something Renjun could see from a mile away.

Suddenly the pretty girlfriend Renjun used to imagine was replaced with Chanyeol, the man with soft features but a deep voice who managed to shove Johnny around effortlessly. They looked good together, Renjun could admit, the man only a couple of centimeters taller but equally as broad and looked at Johnny so affectionately it made something twist in Renjun’s chest.

Somehow it made things worse though. It wasn’t that Johnny wasn’t into men, it was that Johnny wasn’t into him. And Renjun couldn’t very well blame him, already being in a relationship, but it still hurt.

“Well it looks good, you did a great job,” Renjun complimented and he tried to avoid the flutter in his stomach when Johnny smiled at him wider.

“I don’t want to go,” Renjun whined.

“You’re going, put this on,” Donghyuck told him, throwing a shirt at him. Renjun caught it before it could land on his face. He wasn’t even dressed, he had been wearing sweats since he got home from his shift and he had every intention to stay in them until he had to go into work on Sunday. He finally got a day off on a Saturday, he didn’t want to spend it being hungover from going to a club the night before. He wanted to be comatose until noon and not because he drank too much the night before.

“Renjun,” Jaemin said, leaning in his doorway, Renjun eying him with his brows raised. Jaemin was already dressed and Hyuck had already come after him with his eyeliner, smoking out his eyes darkly.

Letting Hyuck and Mark become friends with his roommates was a terrible idea. Jaemin’s hair was pink now but at least he didn’t have a nose ring, something Hyuck was apparently trying to push on Jeno now. Mark refused to get a facial piercing and Hyuck was infinitely sad that no one else was willing to get one, the only one in their small little friend group with his dermal stud under the corner of his right eye, high on his cheek.

It wasn’t bad enough Mark had already faded out into silver and Hyuck had wheedled and cried and moaned and groaned until Renjun was pushed into a salon chair and his dark brown hair dyed within an inch of its life until it was also a snowy silver color. He was glad it had been cut, however, it was starting to get towards mullet territory and he really didn’t think that was a good look on anyone. That being said, Renjun wasn’t going to be goaded into doing something like getting a facial piercing and he was not going to be leaving his apartment on a Friday night if he didn’t want to.

“You’re really gonna make me wrangle these kids on my own?” Mark asked, hands on his hips in Renjun’s doorway. Mark really had a way of making himself seem like the single father of three despite the several rings up and down his ears and the distressed skinny jeans he’d paired with a scoop neck long-sleeve. Renjun blamed it on Mark’s constant aura of _I’m tired and stressed and if you even look at me the wrong way I might have a total mental collapse_ , which Renjun understood but was still mildly concerned about.

“You really should’ve thought about that before you started dating one of them,” Renjun pointed out but picked himself up from his bed. He snatched the shirt Hyuck had thrown at him from the end of his bed and went for his dresser. “I’m doing this because I’m not totally convinced you won’t kill Mark if I leave you all to him.”

“How could I ever replace him? It’s taken me years of friendship to taunt this one into submission, I’m not that crazy,” Hyuck insisted, coming up to wrap his arms around Mark’s middle, hooking his chin over his shoulder. Mark closed his eyes, resting his hands over Hyuck’s where they were resting on his stomach. Renjun wasn’t sure if Mark was resisting the urge to smack him or reminding himself of all the reasons he loved Hyuck but Renjun understood either way.

Renjun tugged on his shirt, found a pair of fashionably distressed jeans that he never wore because he worked at a place that required him to look like an adult and headed out with them. Donghyuck came at his face as well, Renjun accepting his fate as Hyuck took the backseat with him and Jaemin so he could put it on Renjun’s lower waterline, holding his face while Mark drove. Renjun thought he looked ridiculous with eyeliner but Jeno whistled loudly, Mark whining about the noise, when he saw him.

Renjun still felt severely undressed when Mark pulled into the side parking outside EXO, the five of them piling out. None of them were dressed better, Jeno was about two steps above frat bro and Jaemin’s shirt was halfway unbuttoned but Renjun wrung his hands, stuffing them in his pockets as Mark walked them right up to the door, arm tossed around Donghyuck’s shoulders as he approached the bouncer.

“Hey, hyung,” Mark greeted him, the man reaching out to take his hand and pulling him into a one-armed hug.

“Hey, kid, what’re you doing here?”

“Planning on having a good time. What do you think?” Mark asked, nodding to the door. The guy sighed but unclipped the red velvet rope, Mark looking at them before stepping through. They followed after him, Renjun’s eyes finding the scabbing hummingbird on his forearm that looked quite a bit like Johnny’s work.

“You know these guys?” Jaemin asked, Mark wading through the crowd to get to an empty booth next to the bar and near the DJ. The music was loud here but it meant that the booth was open, despite being close to the bar. Mark tugged Hyuck down into the booth, Donghyuck falling into the booth with a giggle, Jaemin and Jeno scooting in so Renjun was on the outside.

“Oh yeah. Chanyeol and Sehun hyungs own this place, with the help of Donghae hyung. Junmyeon hyung is their regular bouncer, he always lets me in. I probably would’ve had to pay Minseok or Kyungsoo but it’s fine,” Mark brushed off. “They like me here. They say it’s because I’ve never made any trouble so don’t start,” Mark warned them, pointing at them.

“We would never,” Jeno insisted, leaning on the table. “Can you get us a drink at least?” Jeno suggested, Mark getting up on his knees to wave a waitress over. She immediately started picking on Mark as soon as she did though, introduced herself as Seulgi and then disappeared with their orders. Jaemin and Jeno shoved Renjun out of the way to get to the floor, Renjun huffing loudly but letting them go, Jeno and Jaemin slipping between people to get high on adrenaline before their drinks even showed up.

“Marc Jacobs,” a deep voice said, so loud it could be heard over the music. Renjun looked over as he sat down, the vibrant platinum blond of Chanyeol an obvious signal, followed shortly by the dark brown hair of Sehun, a friend of Johnny’s that Renjun had met on a couple of occasions just hanging around the parlor. Mark stood to meet him, taking his hand and letting himself be pulled into a hug, Sehun going for Hyuck, who stood as well to greet them.

“‘Sup,” Mark greeted back. “I didn’t know you guys would be in tonight,” he said.

“It’s Friday, we’re gonna be here. Gotta make sure no one’s making a mess of our club,” Chanyeol insisted. “Renjun, right,” he directed to Renjun, turning to greet him.

“Oh, uh, yeah,” Renjun agreed, accepting the hand offered to him. “You’re Chanyeol, right?”

“Yeah. You can call me hyung, everyone does,” he assured him. “This your first night in the house?”

“Yeah,” Renjun agreed, taking his hand back to rub the back of his neck.

“Glad you came out, we’ll make sure Kai gets you something nice on the house,” Chanyeol assured him. “Sorry it had to be with this kid, though,” Chanyeol joked, pulling Mark towards him. Mark smacked him in the chest, stepping out of his hold while Chanyeol laughed.

“It’s okay, he brought my roommates. I feel worse for him that he chose to bring them along,” Renjun replied, Chanyeol laughing in reply.

“I see why Johnny likes you,” Chanyeol insisted, Renjun swallowing the bitter taste in his mouth at the mention of Johnny’s name. “We gotta make our rounds but you guys have fun. I’m sure we’ll be back,” he said. He side hugged Mark once more before he and Sehun were gone in the crowd and Seulgi returned with their drinks, doling them out on the table.

Renjun wasn’t sure if it was the mention of Johnny or the appearance of Johnny’s probably significant other but Renjun finished his vodka cranberry in record time and joined Jaemin on the floor quickly. Getting out of his head seemed like the only option when all he’d been thinking about lately was Johnny and how he’d never even had a chance, to begin with. It was a plague, thinking about a man he didn’t have a stake in and getting drunk and dancing with his roommates seemed the only cure.

It was a curse, Renjun was sure, the way he always ended up having conversations with people he didn’t really want to be having, so as much as he wanted to be he wasn’t surprised that Chanyeol ended up sitting next to him halfway through the night, a beer in his hand to match Renjun’s third vodka cranberry. Renjun lifted a brow as Chanyeol sat down, sans Sehun. Mark and Hyuck had disappeared, probably to a dark corner, and Renjun hadn’t seen hide nor hair of his roommates in at least four songs. It was just the two of them, Chanyeol looking at Renjun like he was a puzzle he didn’t quite understand.

“What’s up?” Renjun asked around the lip of his glass.

“I’m trying to figure you out,” Chanyeol admitted. “Why would a boy who works in a high-end department store, who’s never so much as pierced his ears before, accept a 50% discount to a tattoo shop and get something as painful as an industrial? And then continue to hang around long after he got what he paid for?” Chanyeol suggested, taking a sip of his drink but he was smirking as he did so.

“Johnny tell you that?” Renjun asked. He knew he sounded bitter but he was a little past buzzed to care anymore.

“Johnny tells me a lot of things,” Chanyeol admitted. “That bothers you.” It was a statement, not a question.

“It doesn’t. Why should I care what he tells his boyfriend?” Renjun shot back. Chanyeol laughed loudly, a bright thing that seemed to burst out of his chest. He seemed to find that thought absolutely hilarious and Renjun narrowed his eyes at him.

“Johnny and I aren’t dating,” he said through his laughter. “Not anymore at least.”

“You were?”

“Months ago,” Chanyeol said. “It’s been… about six months since we broke up. I’d say we’re almost back to normal, whatever normal was before we started dating. Johnny and I are practically ancient history already.”

“It didn’t look ancient in the tattoo shop,” Renjun retorted. Chanyeol leaned back in the booth. “It didn’t even look over.”

“Johnny and I made peace with what we had. It’s over. It’s long over. We’re best friends though, that’s not gonna change. So you can trust me when I’m telling you that Johnny is well over me, and I am over him,” Chanyeol assured him, leaning on the table again. “Is that what’s stopping you?”

“Stopping me from what?”

“Asking him out.”

Renjun clammed up immediately, turning his attention to the skewered cranberries in his drink, stirring them around the ice. He was too drunk for this conversation, with a man who wasn’t Johnny’s boyfriend but certainly closer to Johnny than Renjun ever thought he could be. Renjun still felt so departed from Johnny, the only moment he could imagine where it felt like there was even a little something there being that charged moment in his office. Months ago, a heat of the moment thing that Renjun was sure he was the only one who thought about anymore.

“You should,” Chanyeol said.

“Why?” Renjun replied. “What would he do with me?”

“You don’t see it. That’s okay, neither did I. Johnny’s always been subtle about his pining,” Chanyeol joked with a little smile. “He fucking adores you. He talks about you all the time. His eyes light up when you’re in the room and it’s easy to miss until someone fucking tells you. Trust me, you don’t have to do anything because he’s already gone. ‘What would he do with you?’” Chanyeol quoted him. He let out a breathless laugh, smiling widely at Renjun. “He’d love you to the moon and back. That’s how Johnny loves. I know.”

“Then how’d you break up?” Renjun asked, lifting a brow. Chanyeol sighed, leaning back in the booth and staring down at his drink with a frown.

“I broke his heart,” Chanyeol confessed. “I love Johnny, but I’m not in love with him. Sometimes relationships just run their course and there’s nothing you can really do about it. I can admit it was my fault.”

“Are you sure you’re not just looking for an apology to Johnny?” Renjun asked. Chanyeol lifted his eyes back to him and smiled.

“Does it matter? Because you’re just as gone for him as he is for you. Even I can see that.”

Renjun didn’t ask Johnny out. He didn’t even speak to him for the next few weeks, but he did ask Sicheng and Hansol to pierce his ears again. Sicheng pushed a needle through his tragus and Hansol punched two more piercings in his lobes for him. It didn’t do anything except put more silver in his ears and give him another reason to not go to the shop for a few weeks.

“Are you okay?” Ten asked three weeks after Renjun had last stepped foot into the shop and a month since his conversation with Chanyeol, more than a little buzzed and very, very unprepared. His piercings were healing well, his industrial already healed, as was his double helix, his first lobes and his newest piercings weren’t even swollen anymore. If he wanted to, Renjun was pretty sure he could get away with another piercing but he didn’t think he could step foot into that shop again and act like everything was still the same.

“I’m fine,” Renjun brushed off, folding the men’s henleys with a kind of focus it did not require. Ten sighed loudly and stepped up to the table with him, joining him in folding the henleys.

“No, you’re not. Chengie said you haven’t been into Neo in a while,” Ten corrected him, Renjun biting his tongue from cursing Sicheng out loud. He had really forgotten about that one little detail.

“I don’t need to be, I’m waiting for my other rings to heal,” Renjun excused, hoping it would be enough to get Ten off his back.

“I really don’t think that’s the whole reason, Junnie,” Ten replied, smoothing a crease on one of the shirts. “I’m not here to judge you or tell you to go back and talk to him, I just think avoiding him might not be the answer. You obviously have a thing for the guy and cutting yourself off cold turkey isn’t going to solve anything. Besides, Chengie said Mark’s boyfriend keeps showing up every day to ask about you and he’s starting to drive him crazy.” Renjun couldn’t control the snort that came out of him, the corner of Ten’s lips turning up a bit in a smile.

Donghyuck. Of course.

“So I’m supposed to go back just to give Sicheng-ge some peace of mind?” Renjun replied, straightening a pile of shirts.

“No, but maybe it could give you some peace of mind?” Ten replied. Renjun looked over at him, trying not to pout, but seeing the face Ten gave him in response told him he had failed spectacularly.

“Awh, it’ll be okay, kid,” Ten told him, pulling him into his side. It sounded condescending, as did most of things Ten said in an attempt to be comforting. Renjun wrapped his arms around his gege’s waist anyway, burying his face in his shoulder. Ten rubbed his hand up and down Renjun’s side gently. “You know what I say, things always have a way of working out in the end.”

“Isn’t that what Kun always says?” Renjun commented, lifting his head to look at Ten skeptically.

“I adopted the philosophy. I was tired of him always being right about shit,” Ten insisted, making Renjun laugh.

He sincerely didn’t know what he would do without his dumb, pseudo parents.

It still took a few days and Sicheng texting him at a near-constant rate for him to show back up. That and Sicheng had apparently given his number to Yuta and Hansol, both of which were worried Hansol had poisoned him or something the last time he gave him a piercing. Donghyuck, Mark and his roommates ganging up on him in their group chat had nothing to do with it and Renjun would be offended if someone suggested that it did.

Renjun walked up to Neo 127, their green neon sign still lit but the inside was dimly lit and their neon Open sign was switched off. It was late, later than he was pretty sure he should’ve shown up but he didn’t think he could handle trying to be normal with the others while Johnny was there.

He was self-aware. He knew why he hadn’t been back to the shop and clearing the air seemed like the best case for trying to go back to normal. Or, something close to normal.

“Someone home?” Renjun called out, thankful to find the door not locked yet. He spared a thought for how unsafe that was and then promptly tried to ignore it.

“Sorry, just about to close up,” a voice called out from the back. “We open at 10 if you…” Johnny trailed off, walking into the lobby. He paused in the doorway. “Oh. Hey.”

“Hey. Sorry to come by so late.” He didn’t have an excuse ready. He was clearly not in his work clothes so he couldn’t blame his job, he hadn’t actually been in in weeks so the chances of him talking to the guys had been low. Without a reason he just… let the statement fall where it lay and Johnny shifted, leaning against the doorway.

“You know the door’s always open for friends,” Johnny replied. “What’s up?”

“You think you could do me a favor?” Renjun asked. Johnny lifted a brow. His ring caught the light just a bit, glinting off the black ring, simple beads but dark where it was pierced through his brow. There was just something about it that always had Renjun’s attention. “You mind putting another ring in my ear?” Renjun asked, shoving his hands in his hoodie pocket. Johnny laughed, crossing his arms over his chest.

“You don’t have enough?” He joked.

“Seemed a waste to not get another discount. I know you’ve been keeping count,” Renjun pointed out.

“Technically you would still be one short but I guess I could make an exception,” Johnny brushed off. “Come on back,” he said, jerking his head towards the hall and turning. Renjun took a deep breath before following him, Johnny disappearing into his office.

Nothing about the office had changed since the last time Renjun was in. It was still just a tiny little thing with a desk and a leather bed, tall, thin bookcases and a sink and Johnny’s rolling chair. But at night it seemed to have a different feeling, Johnny lighting the room with his desk lamp and a taller standing lamp above the workstation, the curtains pulled back on the window. It was a clear night and there was a moonbeam already lighting up the floor of his room.

“So what can I get ya?” Johnny asked, still kind and joking as ever. If he had noticed Renjun’s absence he was doing a great job of acting like nothing had changed. Like Renjun hadn’t just up and disappeared on him all of the sudden and Renjun sat down delicately, curling his fingers over the edge of the bed.

“An auricle.”

Johnny froze where he was putting on his gloves. He turned to Renjun, leaning on an elbow on the armrest of his chair.

“You know those hurt, right? I told you an industrial would hurt but believe me when I tell you an auricle fucking hurts. And it’s not just the piercing, they’re prone to keloids and they’re uncomfortable as hell for the first two weeks after you get it done.”

“It’s just a cartilage piercing, Johnny,” Renjun brushed off.

“You are one of the most ridiculous people I have ever met,” Johnny said, finishing putting on his gloves. “If this hurts I don’t want to hear you complain. I warned you and you still wanted it done,” Johnny insisted, grabbing his case and rolling over to him.

“I’ll keep it in mind,” Renjun assured him.

“Should I go through the whole process with you again or do you consider yourself a piercing aficionado at this point?” He asked, sterilizing the needle. Renjun rolled his eyes, shifting on the bed so Johnny could get to his right ear, the one sporting his industrial already. It would be a good look, symmetry wise, to have two on each side. Johnny reached out again, running his thumb along the outside of his ear. “It’s only been a few months and you’ve already got so many,” he commented, voice low.

“I had to catch up to you somehow,” Renjun quipped and Johnny let out a little breathless laugh.

“I didn’t know this was a competition. I think I might be falling behind if it is,” Johnny admitted. “Alright, you want it… here?” He asked, pressing his thumb against the cartilage of his ear. It was far enough away from the industrial that it wouldn’t cause a problem, a perfectly middle of the road placement for it.

“Feels good. Let me see?”

Johnny marked the spot on his ear and offered him the mirror, Renjun agreeing with the placement. He was definitely the most nervous about this one but it felt… full circle to come back and have Johnny be the one to put the ring in his ear. He just hoped Johnny was being at least a little over dramatic when he mentioned how much it would hurt.

“Ready?” Johnny asked, Renjun nodding. “You don’t seem ready.”

“Just put the needle in my ear,” Renjun told him.

“You’re always so bossy. Maybe that’s what it was,” he mused and Renjun huffed a sigh. “Why the shop felt so quiet without you here. You’re always so bossy and snarky and honestly insufferable some days, being such a smart ass.”

“Excuse me?” Renjun retorted. “If I didn’t do it who would whip you idiots into shape? You’re honestly too lax on those boys, Johnny, why do you think I can push them around so easily- ow! That’s fucking hurt!” Renjun yelling the latter part of his statement.

“I told you so,” Johnny mumbled, pushing the stud into the hole. He grabbed for a paper towel, pressing it against the ring that was beginning to bleed. “This part of your ear is really sensitive, it has a lot of nerve endings so it might bleed a little for the next couple of weeks. Hold this.”

“Yes, sir,” Renjun grumbled, reaching up to hold the paper towel in place as Johnny moved back, cleaning his needle again. “Has the shop actually been quiet without me?” Renjun asked, voicing the questions on the tip of his tongue. Johnny hummed while cleaning his materials, setting the needle back in his case and peeling his gloves off his hands.

“Yeah,” Johnny agreed. “It’s been weird without you here. I thought Chengie was gonna lose his mind, Hyuckie always coming in and asking about you,” he said, Renjun huffing a laugh as Johnny rolled around the room, putting his things away and then pushing off the bookshelf to get to his desk, snatching a card and a pen before going back to Renjun. “If I didn’t know any better I’d think Hyuck likes you better than his own boyfriend.”

“Mark’s a pushover, Hyuck likes a challenge,” Renjun answered blandly.

“Noted,” Johnny replied. He crossed out all the six punch slots and then initialed the box at the end. “Your discount, sir.”

Renjun took it from his hand delicately, sighing softly. He lowered the paper towel from his ear and toyed with the corner of the card. The silence in the room was deafening but Johnny didn’t fill it, the two of them sitting there without saying a word. Renjun brushed his thumb over the letters and then lifted his eyes to Johnny.

“What can I use this on?” Renjun asked.

“Anything in the shop,” Johnny answered, a slight crease in his brow. “Why do you ask?”

“Well,” and this was not Renjun’s smoothest move but he said it anyway, “how much do you cost?”

“For you?” Johnny answered, not skipping a beat. Renjun nodded. Johnny leaned forward, resting his arms on either side of Renjun’s thighs on the bed. It was useless, trying to pretend he wasn’t so obviously staring at Johnny’s mouth because he was and Johnny could see that. “That depends on what you’re asking for,” he whispered, lips hovering just out of reach.

“Kiss me.”

“That’s free.”

They moved at the same time, their lips meeting in the middle. Renjun had hoped he could keep his cool for just a moment, could pretend he hadn’t been thinking about kissing Johnny for the past three months they had known each other but it was impossible from the moment Johnny started kissing him. The needy little noise he let out was completely on accident but Johnny swallowed it with his lips, leaning forward further to kiss him deeper, lifting a hand to cup his jaw and tilt his head.

If Renjun had any intentions of not falling headfirst into this kiss they were gone the moment he felt Johnny’s tongue at his lips, the catch of metal cool against his skin. His lips fell open on a gasp and Johnny surged forward, out of his chair and leaning over Renjun as he fell flat on his back on the bed. Renjun lifted his hands to run through Johnny’s hair, faded to chestnut brown and grown out. Johnny rested a hand next to Renjun’s head, still holding his face with the other as he licked into his mouth, Renjun letting out little noises every time his ring touched a new part of his mouth.

There, however, was still a rational part of Johnny’s brain left that told him that maybe he shouldn’t be making out with Renjun on his work bed. He tried, desperately, to de-escalate the kiss, kissing Renjun slower, softer. Renjun chased his lips every time though and he worried this would be a problem. If he couldn’t stop kissing Renjun how could he ever walk away from him if he ever took him to bed. When he finally did pull free it wasn’t enough for Renjun, however, pressing kisses against his jaw, down his throat, making any and all argument in Johnny’s head grow fuzzy.

“Renjun,” Johnny breathed, voice shot.

“What?” He asked, sounding just as gone, causing butterflies to erupt in Johnny’s gut.

“Go out with me,” he said and that seemed enough to finally get Renjun to pull back. His eyes were dilated, lips bruised and swollen from their kissing. That was not the sentence Johnny was going to say but it just kind of came out of him. And there was no way he was going to take it back when Renjun looked like that.

“I’m sorry?” Renjun replied, hands still in Johnny’s hair. He looked tempting, Johnny could admit, spread out on his work bed underneath him, eyes dark, lips already red and kiss swollen. It hadn’t been much more than five minutes they had been there making out in his office but it was enough to have Johnny’s heart racing. But this was nowhere near all he wanted if he was given a chance.

“Will you go out with me? On a date? I wanna take you out, Renjun,” Johnny explained, the explanation a little broken with the way his brain hadn’t caught up to the situation yet.

“Are you sure?” Renjun asked, and it broke Johnny’s heart a bit that he sounded scared, unsure. Johnny hadn’t done much in terms of making sure Renjun knew his feelings were reciprocated, he was realizing now and he had to make sure Renjun knew.

“Never been more sure about anything,” Johnny insisted, leaning back in to press a lingering kiss against his lips.

Renjun, being the ever diligent kisser that Johnny was realizing he was, held Johnny there, kissing him back deeply and thoroughly. It had been awhile since Johnny had kissed someone like this and he liked it, the way Renjun held him in place, taking the lead to kiss him fully. The only sound in the room was their breathing, their lips meeting again and again and Johnny could’ve stayed like that for hours. Just kissing Renjun, bent over him, standing between his knees and sighing into his mouth.

“Okay,” Renjun murmured against his lips. “Okay. Take me out on a date, hyung.”

Things do not go back to normal. Things are far from normal, Ten noticed the day Renjun came back to work after promising him he would finally go back to Neo 127. It’s evident in the way Renjun walked around the shop with a smile, greeted customers in a much more enthusiastic way, and even spent a whole hour talking about a woman’s upcoming bridal shower with a grin so bright it could blind someone. Ten leaned back against the counter as he watched the day unfold while on register duty and grabbed Kun when he walked past, holding his planner of appointments for the day.

“What do you see?” Ten asked, tugging Kun back towards him. Kun glanced between his planner and Ten a couple times before Ten actually took hold of Kun’s face, turning it to look at Renjun across the floor. He was singing to the music playing in the store, which was fine because it was Raspberry Beret and everyone should sing to that song but the point stood. “Does he seem… happier, to you?”

“Ten,” Kun replied. “Renjun was singing along to Carly Rae Jepsen earlier today. I don’t know who that kid even is.” Ten’s eyes widened, his hand falling off of Kun’s face. “I’m really glad he’s happy but it’s kind of freaking me out.”

“You think he talked to Johnny?” Ten asked. Kun shrugged a shoulder, checking his watch before turning and disentangling himself from his friend.

“I can’t imagine what else could have caused this but I have an appointment in five minutes. You find out you’ll let me know, hm?” Kun asked, walking away. Ten huffed as he fell back against the counter, Renjun moving around the table with, what Ten was hesitant to call, a skip in his step. He had never seemed so happy to just be at work before and Ten strapped an arm across his stomach, resting his elbow on it to press his hand against his mouth.

“Alright, you’re actually freaking me out, stop it!” Jaemin said, snatching the sponge from Renjun’s hand. Renjun glared at him, Jaemin holding the sponge aloft so it was out of Renjun’s reach. “Try to grab it, you’re not gonna reach.”

“Don’t mock the tiny person,” Jeno said, monotone from the couch.

“He’s being weird!” Jaemin called out, Renjun jumping up to try and grab it from Jaemin’s hand. He was, indeed, too short. “Jeno, he’s humming in the kitchen while cleaning the fucking sink. It’s not normal.”

“The apartment is getting cleaned, why are you complaining?” Jeno replied, turning to look at his roommates over the back of the sofa. Good timing, it seemed, as Renjun stepped on Jaemin’s foot, Jaemin immediately shouting a curse and bending over for Renjun to take the sponge right out of his hand. Renjun went back to cleaning as Jaemin bent over, rubbing his sore foot. “You had to know that was gonna happen,” Jeno pointed out.

“Why are you in such a damn good mood?” Jaemin asked, backing up to the counter to rub his foot.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Renjun answered. “After this I’m cleaning the bathroom.”

“I think I like Renjun in a good mood,” Jeno commented.

“You’re helping me,” Renjun said, turning to look at him, pointing the sponge in his direction. “The shower head’s too tall for me.”

“I take it back. Jaemin, take the sponge from him again.”

“He returns!” Mark crowed as soon as Renjun stepped foot into the shop. Renjun rolled his eyes, Jaemin and Jeno on his heels as they walked in. “Did you text Hyuckkie you were going to be in? He’s been up my ass about whether or not you were going to be in for the past few weeks.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Renjun retorted, Jaemin and Jeno coming up to the counter with him, sharing fistbumps with Mark. “Where’s the others? Jaems said he made an appointment with Hansol last week,” Renjun said.

“Now you’re gonna get a nose ring and they’re gonna fire you,” Jeno insisted, giving Jaemin a meaningful look.

“I am not! I’m not even getting a rose ring, I just can’t handle Renjun being cooler than me,” Jaemin laid on dramatically, slapping a hand against the counter. “I’m gonna look good with a double helix right?” Jaemin asked, directing his question at Mark.

“Everyone looks good with a double helix, trust me,” Hansol said, coming out of the back. “Jaemin, right?” He asked, pointing at them, Jaemin nodding. “Oh, you’re friends with Renjun?” He commented, stepping up to the counter.

“He’s one of my roommates,” Renjun replied. “Jaemin, Jeno, Hansol hyung and vice versa. How you been?” He asked, smiling at his hyung.

“Waiting for you to show back up. You know I really thought I gave you an infection or something!” Hansol insisted, leaning on the counter. “That’s fucked up, Renjun. I didn’t have your number and Chengie said you hadn’t even messaged him.”

“I’m fine!” Renjun insisted, turning his head for Hansol to see the tragus he had given him last time. “Just because I didn’t show up doesn’t mean I was dying,” Renjun played off.

“What about that one,” Hansol said, pointing to Renjun’s other side. Renjun turned his head to look at him straight on but averted his eyes. “That’s an auricle, you didn’t have that last time. Did you go to a different parlor! Did you cheat on us?” Hansol asked, leaning towards him. Renjun opened his mouth, surely to make a rude quip while the other boys were laughing.

“I did it for him,” Johnny answered for him, coming out from the back as well. “I see we’ve grown a crowd. Someone’s getting something done right, I don’t own a community center, just saying.”

“You. C’mere,” Hansol said, pointing at Jaemin. Jaemin followed him, grabbing Jeno by the arm on his way, Jeno whining on the way. Hansol paused next to Johnny though, scrutinizing him for a moment before going on his way, Jaemin and Jeno stumbling after him. Johnny glanced back before his eyes focused on Renjun again.

“How’s the healing?” Johnny asked. Renjun shrugged a shoulder.

“Not any worse than the others. A little uncomfortable, but that’s to be expected,” he brushed off. If Mark had noticed the change in atmosphere it was lost on him, huddled in the corner with his phone out, no doubt texting Hyuck that Renjun was in the shop. They had about five minutes before Hyuck came barrelling in that door like a tornado and Renjun was still trying to figure out how to not tip off everyone in the building that he and Johnny had kissed in that time.

It didn’t have to be a secret, in fact they were both pretty sure their friends would be relieved to find out that they were going on a date. But after their first kiss they agreed to take it slow, to feel it out naturally but it was so hard when Johnny was right there. Their lives had become so inexplicably entwined in each other’s without even meaning to. Which meant that Renjun equated getting to look at Johnny but not touch, when he finally had the expressed permission to do so, a very special kind of torture.

“It looks good,” Johnny agreed, smiling gently. “Your roommates finally cave on getting something done?”

“Jaemin’s been bitching up a storm ever since I started getting mine. Jeno told him that a facial piercing would get him fired, which it wouldn’t, so Jaemin compromised on getting his helix done,” Renjun explained. “I think it’s gonna look great.”

“What about you?” Johnny asked.

“What about me?” Renjun replied, not following.

“Why don’t you get a facial piercing?” Johnny suggested and Renjun almost choked on his own saliva. Johnny laughed loudly, leaning against the wall. “Oh c’mon, you’re running out of room on your ears. And I know Lay would pitch a fit but he wouldn’t make you remove it. What do you think, Mark?” Johnny asked, looking over at him. Mark looked up, his black and blond highlighted bangs falling into his face haphazardly. “Renjun would look good with a facial ring, right?”

“Oh, God, please,” Mark said, getting a bark of laughter from Renjun. “Hyuck’s been trying to get me to get a nose ring for ages, if you get one he’ll get off my back. You’d probably even look good with a dermal.”

“I’m so glad you’re willing to throw me at a needle to get your boyfriend off your case,” Renjun replied. “I don’t need a ring in my face, but thank you.”

“You’ve got a cute nose, it’d look good with a hoop,” Johnny pointed out, Renjun looking back over at him with wide eyes.

“Where is he?!” Hyuck yelled, throwing open the front door.

“Oi! Don’t hurt my walls!” Johnny yelled at him. Hyuck, apparently, did not hear him as he marched into the lobby and immediately wrapped himself around Renjun, who whined about being hugged.

“Where have you been!?” Hyuck screamed and that seemed reason enough for Johnny to bow out, yelling at them to not trash his place. Renjun looked up at him as he turned to go, Johnny winking at him before disappearing from sight. Renjun relented to being hugged if it meant there was an easy place for him to hide his blushing cheeks.

Johnny had texted Renjun the date, a Saturday night when Renjun didn’t have to work the following day. Renjun was quick to agree, already trying to plan ahead on what he was going to wear.

 **from:** johnny hyung <3

after your shift? i’ll pick you up.

It was a vague text and Renjun was half worried he was going to be too dressed up for their date. He really didn’t think Johnny was the fancy restaurant kind of person, and truth be told, he wasn’t really either so he wondered if he should bring a change of clothes. Deciding that overthinking it was a waste of time, he wore his best jeans for work and one of his casual blazers before heading into his shift.

“Renjun, is there any way you could stay for a while longer today? Dejun called out,” Yixing said, coming up to him as he was organizing the dressing room abandons.

“Oh, not today. You know I would any other day,” Renjun replied. It was true, Renjun had stayed for extra hours almost every other time he had been asked. It wasn’t that Renjun loved his job, it was that he loved to get paid and a few extra hours, especially if it pushed him into overtime, was very welcome.

“You have plans today?” Yixing asked. Renjun hummed softly, Yixing lifting his eyes from his phone to actually look at Renjun, a little smile around his lips. He shifted to look at Renjun head on, not having seen Renjun like this before. And he had employed Renjun for the past few years, he knew what Renjun’s usual expressions were like. This was new. “Care to share the secret? You are looking rather pleased with yourself right now,” Yixing pointed out, Renjun laughing softly.

“It’s nothing I just… I have a date,” Renjun admitted.

“Please tell me it’s with Johnny,” Yixing said, coming up to the counter and leaning on it. Renjun turned to look at his employer with big eyes. “Oh c’mon, Renjun, you think I didn’t notice when you started showing up with all those rings in your ears. Besides, word gets around here. It’s not a very big store.”

“I would really prefer to not have this conversation with my manager,” Renjun said, averting his eyes as he tied a sash on a dress.

“Well, I’ll go then. But don’t worry about covering, I’m certain I’ll find someone else. Have a nice date,” Yixing said, pointedly. Renjun blushed gently, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at his manager. After Yixing had left he took a deep breath, continuing to try and finish his rack of abandons without anymore interruptions.

“Yixing said you have a date,” Ten said, leaning on the counter while Renjun wrote up a note for Kun for the following day on a dress a guest had left behind. Renjun lifted his eyes and then huffed a sigh, shaking his head.

“He owns this place, why is he spreading rumors?” Renjun asked no one in particular, though it didn’t seem to deter Ten by any means. In fact, he remained leaning on the counter with the infuriating smirk that he wore when he was desperate to gloat about something. Renjun looked back at him and set the pen down. “Alright, what?”

“So you took my advice?” Ten asked and Renjun sighed, picking the pen back up. “This is good! You’re gonna go on a date with this guy you’ve been pining after for months and he’s gonna sweep you off your feet, I just know it. Where are you going on your first date in God knows how long, did he say?” He wheedled, Renjun finishing the end of the note and clipping it to the dress to hang.

“He didn’t. But I bet it’s gonna be something super lowkey. Johnny doesn’t seem the fancy type and honestly, if we went to an arcade and had pizza I’d be so fine with it,” Renjun insisted. He glanced at his outfit again, a little too dressed for pizza, hopefully Johnny would drop him by his apartment to change before the actual date.

“That’s so cute, you’re so far gone you’d settle for pizza,” Ten cooed, Renjun giving him a pointed look as he organized the hangers of clothing in appointment time order. “But this is Johnny and you and you two have been playing this game for weeks, hopefully he chooses something a little better than that.”

“I don’t expect too much. Something nice but nothing exceptional. I don’t need exceptional, I need decent food,” Renjun excused, getting a laugh out of Ten.

He was vaguely aware of the door jingling with the arrival of a new guest but it was background noise to the slide of hangers and the music playing over the PA system. He didn’t even think much of Ten’s sharp gasp, just a normal occurance when a hot guy walked in. He did, however, take notice when Ten grabbed him by the shoulders and turned him towards the door.

“‘Nothing exceptional,’ you said?” Ten said, pointing him towards the door. Renjun’s brow furrowed until he spotted what Ten was pointing out, eyes almost popping out of their sockets at what he was seeing.

Granted he only had eleven minutes of his shift left (not that Renjun had been keeping track all day or anything, nope) but he didn’t expect to see Johnny so soon. And looking so… dressed up.

He was wearing the suit Renjun had helped him pick out all those months ago. God, it had to have been seven months ago by now but Renjun would remember that charcoal grey no matter what. And he had been right, it looked so good on Johnny, making him look so tall and broad and undeniably handsome. He had paired it with a pair of matte black dress shoes and a white shirt but his waistcoat and tie were a matching silky, navy blue. His pocket square was gold, which should’ve been tacky but matched the gold watch on his right wrist and the golden blond highlights he had put in his hair. His eyebrow ring was black, very unobtrusive but still complimented the shape of his face.

Suddenly Renjun felt severely underdressed in comparison to his date, in just his nice jeans, black blazer and burgundy dress shirt. Yes, he knew how to dress himself and had paired his blazer with his own matte black dress shoes and black belt but Johnny looked out-of-this-world handsome.

Getting to dinner didn’t seem pertinent anymore when Johnny was looking around the store, standing tall and adjusting the cuffs on his jacket. He looked professional, adult and sexy as all hell.

“I don’t know that man, I’ve never seen him before in my life,” Renjun excused, making Ten giggle in his ear. God, fuck Sicheng for insisting Ten and Kun at least meet Johnny. Now they had all the material in the world to make fun of him and he hated it.

“Okay, no offensive, but if you put out on the first date you are so valid,” Ten insisted in his ear, Renjun jamming his elbow into Ten’s ribs, cutting his giggles off into a wheeze. Renjun stepped away then, tucking the pen behind his ear and crossed the floor to get to Johnny.

He noticed him when he was only a few feet away, Renjun taking his hand and leading him back towards the jackets. Johnny laughed gently, stumbling after Renjun’s quick pace. When they had finally managed to avoid most of the prying eyes by Renjun hiding them between the suit jackets and the slacks, a corner tucked behind one of the tall wall fixtures, Renjun opened his mouth to say something but found no sound coming out. He closed his mouth to save himself some embarrassment but it seemed Johnny had already picked up what was going on?

“No comment? No snide remark about the suit? I thought for sure you would have something to say,” Johnny insisted. “‘You look ridiculous, coming into my work like that. Suits really don’t fit you at all.’” Renjun lifted a hand to try and hide the blush creeping up his cheeks. “C’mon, give me something to work with,” he teased, slipping out of Renjun’s grip to lace their fingers together.

“I thought our first date would be lowkey, what are you wearing?” Renjun asked, sounding both in awe and terribly whiny. He stepped back to look at him, Johnny looking down at him softly. Kun had done an impeccable job.

The shoulders on the jacket framed Johnny’s perfectly, and the slight break on his trousers was exact. Kun had really done a number on this suit, which was great because it meant Johnny had a great suit if he ever needed it in the future but it was driving Renjun a little crazy. He didn’t even know where Johnny could’ve gotten a waistcoat like he had, a rich navy blue shade that, when Renjun actually looked at it up close, boasted a paisley pattern in the same shade, subtle and beautiful. The pocket square matching with the watch was just icing, along with the shade of his shoes and his belt matching. Renjun felt like he was in physical pain not being able to touch.

“I thought I’d look nice for you,” Johnny replied. “Besides, you hadn’t seen the suit you worked so hard to help me find,” Johnny pointed out, Renjun finally moving his hand to lift his eyes to meet Johnny’s. “It looks good?”

“You look incredible. I told you you’d look great like this,” Renjun replied, voice going soft.

He was still at work and he was definitely already late to punch out but Renjun couldn’t help himself. He gently rested a hand on Johnny’s chest, smoothing it over the fabric. His fingertips brushed a lapel, smoothing it in a practiced motion, reflex from his years of doing this job. If Johnny minded he didn’t say anything, Renjun’s hand moving up to his shoulder, along the suit until it reached the edge, admiring the perfect tailoring to Johnny’s already broad frame.

“Are you gonna look all night or can I take you on that date I promised?” Johnny asked. Renjun’s eyes darted up to meet his. Johnny looked at him with slightly hooded eyes and Renjun wondered not for the first time if he affected Johnny like Johnny affected him.

“Let me, uhm, punch out and I’ll meet you out front?” Renjun suggested.

“Sounds good to me. I’ll be waiting,” Johnny assured him.

In a moment of bravery Renjun didn’t know he possessed he pushed himself to his toes and stole a kiss from Johnny’s lips. He made a soft noise in surprise, the little peck lasting no more than a moment before Renjun pulled away.

“I’ll be right out,” Renjun told him. Johnny nodded, Renjun gently letting go of Johnny’s hand to walk away. It was only a moment but he really had to resist the urge to run for his things.

It seemed the surprises didn’t stop there, however, as Renjun stepped out of the department store and stopped dead in his tracks. Johnny showing up in a well tailored suit was enough to make him look the part of a well put-together man but the fact that he was leaning against a luxury sports car was absolutely otherworldly. If Johnny hadn’t lifted a hand and unlocked the car with a press of the button Renjun would think he was posturing in front of a customer’s car.

“Why do you own a Jag?” Renjun asked, finally getting his bearings back.

“It’s a ‘16,” Johnny brushed off as though owning a four year old Jaguar was going to make it seem any less impressive. He walked around the sleek, black car to get to the passenger side, opening it for him. Renjun rolled his eyes but climbed into the car, letting out a disbelieving breath at the sheer gorgeousness of the interior before Johnny climbed into the driver’s seat.

“You’re wearing a suit, you own a Jag and your own business. If I didn’t know any better I’d think you were trying to impress me,” Renjun said, leaning over the console to look at him. Johnny turned his head to look at him, reaching over to press the button to start the car, the engine purring to life underneath them.

“Well, I’m not gonna bring my ten year old pick up on a date, that’s just ridiculous,” Johnny replied, Renjun letting out a scoff of a laugh. “Why, are you impressed?” He asked, a familiar little teasing glint in his eye.

“It’s gonna take a lot more than a nice car and a suit to impress me, Johnny Suh. Surely you know me better than that by now,” Renjun replied.

“Guess I’ll just have to work harder,” Johnny said, leaning over to steal a kiss. Renjun caught him by the back of the neck, however, keeping him close to kiss him harder. Johnny rested a hand on Renjun’s cheek, pulling away slowly with a smile. “If you keep kissing me like that we’ll never make it to dinner,” Johnny informed him.

“Who said we have to go to dinner for our date? Is your apartment empty?” Renjun asked, whispering against Johnny’s lips.

“Forward, aren’t we? At least let me wine and dine you before you climb into my bed,” Johnny suggested. He pulled away properly, resting his hands on the wheel. “Buckle up, hate for something to happen to such precious cargo.”

“Oh, you’re full of it, huh?” Renjun retorted, making Johnny laugh. He buckled himself in anyway as Johnny pulled away from the curb, reaching over to turn on the music. Renjun noticed as he placed his bag by his feet that Johnny seemed very comfortable with driving one handedly, pulling back from the touch screen but not putting his hand back on the wheel so much as resting it just behind the gearshift.

“This is going to sound pretentious but I know of this really great place that makes English style food. I might be a little overdressed but I think you’ll really like it,” Johnny told him. “I’ve taken the boys there a million times, they’re probably gonna charge me twice for overworking them.”

“I’ve never been to a place that specializes in English food,” Renjun admitted, leaning back in his seat.

“Well then I insist. Food’s a little heavy, but I think it’s worth it.”

“You’re talking to someone who has been known to eat his weight in hot pot. I think I can handle it,” Renjun replied, making Johnny laugh.

“Oh, a hot pot fan? There’s a pretty decent hot pot place in the university district-”

“The one by the river? The aunties there love me, they give me extra watercress when I come in,” Renjun informed him, getting a surprised little gasp from Johnny.

“We’ll have to go together sometime, I’d kill for extra of their watercress,” Johnny said, making Renjun laugh. Renjun looked over at Johnny’s hand for a moment before resting his hand on Johnny’s wrist. Immediately Johnny turned his hand over, lacing their fingers together as Grouplove’s Tongue Tied started playing.

“You listen to Grouplove?” Renjun asked.

The drive wasn’t very long but the moment they started talking about music they couldn’t stop. It was a subject they both realized they hadn’t talked about before, which turned into the entire drive being about it. Johnny had gotten really into the English music scene in college and Renjun had started listening to the Arctic Monkeys when AM came out. The two of them chatted about indie music being the new emo scene and that unfairness in which the western music scene treated kpop. Johnny had pulled into a parking spot before they knew it, Johnny stroking his thumb across the back of Renjun’s hand the whole time.

The place was crowded, it was a Saturday after all, but Johnny managed to snag them a table in the back of the place with a smile. Johnny pulled Renjun’s chair out for him, which made Renjun kind of want to roll his eyes because that was laying it on a bit thick, wasn’t it, but he didn’t because it was cute. Renjun ordered them a bottle of Riesling and two glasses of water to start.

“Sweet wines,” Johnny mused and Renjun nodded, opening his menu.

“Most wines are too dry for me. I have no interest in getting dry mouth while drinking,” he replied, Johnny nodding in understanding.

“I went through that enough in college,” he commented, glancing up to see Renjun looking at him curiously. “No, I don’t want to elaborate,” he insisted, Renjun letting out a snort as he viewed the menu.

After ordering and their wine had arrived Renjun noticed Johnny looking at him curiously. He set his wine down with a smile, resting his chin in his hand.

“Yes?”

“For all the time we’ve spent together I don’t think I’ve ever actually asked you what your hobbies are, other than hanging around the shop and giving me headaches with the other two brats.” Renjun snorted, looking away shyly. “What do you do in your spare time? I assume you don’t just work all the time,” Johnny commented, taking a sip of his wine.

“No, I don’t. I’m a bit of a painter in my spare time, I really like the arts. I tried going to arts school for awhile but it just didn’t pan out while I was trying to work full time at the same time,” Renjun explained. He lifted his own glass, swirling the wine inside a bit. “I like to sing and I dance with Ten-ge and Sicheng-ge when we have the time. There’s a dance studio not far from that hot pot place we talked about before, the two of them and I would drop in a lot after we worked up an appetite dancing.”

“What kind of dancing do you do?” Johnny asked.

“I got started with modern but I’ve been playing around with contemporary and ballet a lot. Did Chengie ever tell you he used to go to school for dance?” Renjun asked, Johnny shaking his head. “He did. He’s a great dancer. Ten’s always been more of a street and hip-hop dance type but they really taught me all I know.”

“And painting?”

“I haven’t really had the time to dedicate to it lately, but it’s always been a passion of mine. My parents told me it was silly, trying to make a living out of something as unpredictable as art but I loved it. If I had the time or the funds I’d go back, pursue painting again, minor in art history. Even if I can’t be a world renowned painter I think being able to live and work around paintings like that would be incredible,” Renjun insisted. “The backup dream has always been an art gallery curator.”

“I’ve never seen you talk about something so passionately,” Johnny commented, Renjun shrugging a shoulder while looking bashfully into his wine. “It’s nice. What kind of medium do you prefer?” He asked. Renjun’s eyes widened a bit before averting his eyes again.

“Uh, acrylic on canvas. Acrylics can be kind of finicky but I’ve never been good with anything else. It’s funny, my professors always asked me to sketch before I painted but I just don’t,” Renjun explained, dropping a hand to the table, tapping his finger absentmindedly. “I usually just go into it without a plan. It’s pretty silly because you can ruin a whole canvas like that but I guess I always kind of liked the unpredictability of art that way.”

“I’d love to see you paint sometime,” Johnny said, and the sincerely in which he said it surprised Renjun.

“It’s not that exciting.”

“You make it sound gorgeous,” Johnny replied, a blush creeping its way onto Renjun’s cheeks. Johnny smiled a little bit wider, the both of them looking up as the waitress appeared with their food.

“What about you?” Renjun asked between bites, Johnny looking at in surprise. “I just talked about myself for God knows how long. What do you do in your spare time?”

“Oh, usually sketch and worry about my finances,” Johnny brushed off, getting a tired look from Renjun in reply. “I like photography though. I spent a lot of time in the dark rooms at uni. I mean, I majored in business and I can guarantee you, that was a mistake.”

“Hold on, you majored in business. Don’t business majors have to own suits?” Renjun asked, lowering his hand to the table, lifting a brow at him. Johnny shrugged a shoulder.

“No one said I was a good business major,” he replied, making Renjun snort. “I owned one and it was way too small. I told you they didn’t fit,” he insisted, Renjun covering his face with his hand as he giggled. “I never really cared for business anyway, like I said I loved photography. I minored in it, actually, and after I left that blasted excuse of an education facility I started trying to get my certificate in tattooing. I opened the shop about three years back. But I’ve always had a love of photography. Film a little too, I dabbled in film when I was in my sophomore year but I’ve never been creative enough to actually put pen to paper in terms of writing.”

“You prefer being behind the camera?” Renjun asked.

“Absolutely,” Johnny agreed.

“You said dark rooms. Do you prefer using film?” Renjun asked.

“Oh yeah,” he agreed with a grin. “I usually use digital because it’s so much easier to get a hold of but I prefer film every time. There’s something really wonderful about developing your own film. Chanyeol always said I was going to die because of how many chemicals I was breathing in in the rooms but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” He let out a shy laugh, closing his eyes briefly before looking at Renjun apologetically. “Sorry.”

“For what?” He asked.

“I told myself I wouldn’t bring him up. That’s… that’s my fault.”

“It’s okay. You know,” Renjun paused, swallowing, unsure if he should bring it up but figured if Johnny didn’t know already he was surely going to. “Chanyeol told me about it. About you two.”

“He said that. I’m sorry that he did that, you didn’t sign up for-”

“It’s fine,” Renjun brushed off. “To be honest, if he hadn’t I don’t know if I would’ve spoken to you again,” he admitted and Johnny offered him a shy, sad smile. “I really, really like you Johnny and I have for awhile. But I think you should thank Chanyeol the next chance you get because without him I don’t know if I would’ve had the courage to kiss you. You know I was really under the impression you guys were dating that day you finished his tattoo.”

“I thought that might be the case, but you can rest assured I don’t feel that way about him anymore,” Johnny told him. He reached across the table to take Renjun’s hand in his, holding onto his finger to brush his thumb across his knuckles. “It’s long over. To be honest, I knew it was the moment I saw you. I don’t think love at first sight is a thing but seeing you was damn close.”

“You think you’re smooth, huh?” Renjun teased.

“I’m not trying to be smooth, I’m just being honest. I talked to Chanyeol for the first time in two months after I met you,” he told him and Renjun squeezed his finger gently. “I think you underestimate just how much I like you, Huang Renjun.”

They sat around for at least an hour after dinner, the two of them talking idly about anything and everything. They bounced between topics easily, Renjun’s brief stint in college in comparison to Johnny’s excursion into university. They spoke at length about music again, about the arts, painting versus photography and about their jobs. Renjun was enthralled by Johnny’s stories about the shop, the little hole-in-the-wall location they had moved from to their new one. Johnny found every story of Renjun’s about the weird things he had seen at his job unbelievable but delightfully interesting. By the time they left they had long since paid the bill (Johnny footing it under the insistence he asked Renjun so he should pay) and Johnny swung their hands back and forth childishly to the car.

“So,” Johnny said after they had both gotten comfortable in the car, Johnny having opened Renjun’s door from him again. Renjun leaned back into his seat, looking at him expectantly. “Shall I take you home?” He finished, resting a hand on the wheel.

A part of Renjun wanted to say yes. They had spent hours together, it was already eight o’clock at night and even if he didn’t work tomorrow he didn’t want to overstay his welcome. Surely Johnny had other things he wanted to be doing that didn’t involve Renjun hanging around. But most of him wanted to say no, wanted the night to not end. He wanted to spend another several hours with Johnny, holding his hand, talking about anything, maybe even pressing another round of kisses against his lips like he had that previous week in Johnny’s office.

“Or,” Johnny suggested softly, taking Renjun’s hand in his. “We can go back to mine? I’ve heard from some that my couch is very comfortable,” Johnny told him with a shy grin, chewing on the corner of his lip.

“I’d like that,” Renjun agreed. Johnny smiled a little wider, turning the music back on. The Mowgli’s I’m Good began to play from his speakers as he turned on the car and backed out of the parking spot.

Johnny lived in an apartment building just outside of Seoul, across the river and north of Gangnam. It wasn’t the most high class of places but it was certainly better than Renjun’s apartment that looked like it belongs to university housing. Several stories tall with the taller apartments boasting floor to ceiling glass Renjun wondered what his apartment actually looked like. Johnny opened the door for him, Renjun stepping in before Johnny, who offered his hand, threading their fingers together on their way to the elevator.

“Evening, Johnny,” the young woman at the counter greeted him, Johnny lifting a hand in greeting.

“Hey, Wendy,” he replied, Wendy viewing him with a little smile. She seemed to give Renjun the up and down, Renjun averting his eyes as Johnny called the elevator.

He lived on the fifth floor, Renjun noticed, Johnny tugging him along to get to the apartment, unlocking 528. He pushed the door open, gesturing to the apartment, which Renjun looked at hesitantly before stepping in the dark apartment. It was only a second before the door shut behind Johnny and then the lights flicked on, casting the room in a warm, yellow-orange glow.

“Oh wow,” Renjun whispered, looking at the apartment. It was nice, with a big living room and the kitchen boasting a breakfast bar with seating. He walked in a bit, looking around. There was a nook directly in front of him, tucked against the window, a balcony just outside the window. Next to the nook was a door, which he could only assume was Johnny’s bedroom. The living room was furnished in a very young bachelor manner, a leather couch and recliner, large TV on the wall. The floor was all hardwood, small rugs placed in the heavily trafficked areas, the walls painted a dark grey.

“Not so bad, hm?” Johnny said, toeing off his shoes. Renjun turned to look at him, Johnny setting his keys to the side, his wallet landing next to it on the small side table. “But I assure you, the couch is the main event. Yuta has spent many a night on it and I sometimes struggle to get him off of it,” Johnny told him, walking into the apartment properly and pulling off his blazer.

It landed on the back of one of the stools, hung carefully as Johnny began to disrobe. Renjun averted his eyes to take his shoes off, his bag landing next to the side table on the floor and when he looked back up, he could feel his breath getting caught in his throat.

He didn’t know if Johnny was doing it on purpose or actually just not paying attention but he had unbuttoned his waist coat and loosed his tie around his throat. It was an artfully disheveled look, his hands unbuttoning and beginning to roll up the sleeves of his crisp, white dress shirt. With every inch of artfully decorated skin he revealed Renjun’s mouth became drier, sweet wine be damned. He tugged on the tie though and Renjun finally intervened, worried he might pull a thread.

“Hold on,” Renjun said, stepping up to help him. Johnny stopped as Renjun reached up, gently loosening the knot of the tie. It came undone in his hands, the paisley patterned fabric slipping from around Johnny’s neck when he tugged on an end of it, wrapping it delicately around his hand until it was in a neat roll. Sliding it off, he handled it with care. “I didn’t want you to ruin it,” Renjun answered the unasked question, eyes on the tie and refusing to look up at Johnny.

“Renjun,” Johnny said his name softly, Renjun looking up at him, finding Johnny looking down at him with those hooded eyes again. Johnny rested a hand on Renjun’s waist, the other coming up to pop another button of his dress shirt, slowly revealing the golden skin underneath, and getting dangerously close to showing off the space themed piece on Johnny’s chest, turning his collarbones into a universe all their own.

Another button and Renjun lifted his hands to do it himself. Renjun reached over, the tie unraveling as he hung it on the back of the chair with Johnny’s suit jacket, his hand coming back up to unbutton Johnny’s shirt. Johnny rested both hands on Renjun’s waist, Renjun’s fingers making quick but careful work of the buttons, slowly revealing skin on his way. He seemed to be seeing but not looking as he did so, focused entirely on his work and trying not to stare at Johnny’s body. He tugged gently at the part of the shirt tucked into Johnny’s slacks, the fabric pulling free to let him finish unbuttoning it, falling loose around Johnny’s belt buckle.

“Renjun,” Johnny said again, this time moving a hand to tuck his fingers under Renjun’s chin, tilting his head up to look at him. Renjun met his eyes, dark and dilated as he looked down at him. “Baby,” he whispered and Renjun felt all the air in his lungs escape in a single breath. “Take it off for me?” He asked and Renjun bit his lip.

His fingers found the hem of Johnny’s shirt, tracing the edge of the garment until he reached the collar, eyes not leaving Johnny’s once. He could do this with his eyes closed, the path of a dress shirt familiar but only on mannequins at the store. It was quite different when his hands tucked into the shirt, fingers brushing against warm skin as he parted the shirt at the base of Johnny’s throat, the material slipping away from his skin.

Johnny moved his arms to accommodate, not that he had to do much, the dress shirt and waistcoat both slipping off his body in one movement, leaving him standing in front of Renjun naked from the waist up. Renjun’s breathing was shaky as Johnny leaned down to him. It felt like an eternity before Johnny’s lips found his and Renjun could do nothing more than rest his hands on Johnny’s shoulders, kissing him back.

The kissing was languid but charged, Renjun’s hands sliding up to cradle his neck, Johnny seeming to take his time mapping out the inside of Renjun’s mouth from the moment he opened his lips to Johnny’s tongue. The metal of his tongue ring still surprised Renjun but he only melted further into the kiss as Johnny licked into his mouth, arms wrapping around Renjun’s middle as Renjun wrapped his own arms around Johnny’s neck.

It took several moments before Johnny could pull away from his lips to speak.

“I didn’t mean-”

“It’s okay.”

“You shouldn’t feel like-”

“I’m doing this because I want to,” Renjun assured him, eyes blinking open to look at Johnny, who looked both turned on and hesitant. It was almost funny, seeing the way Johnny was willing to hold back for him. Willing to take a step back from this, take things slow like they had previously said they were going to but Renjun didn’t want slow anymore. He didn’t want to wait for something he had already waited three months for. “Do you want to?” Renjun asked, even though he had a feeling he already knew the answer.

“It’s all I’ve thought about,” Johnny admitted. “That’s… that’s probably not something you should admit on a first date but you drive me crazy, Renjun.”

“How crazy?” He asked, desperate to know because try as he might, Renjun was nothing if not a little insecure. He wanted to know, he had to know, what kinds of things did Johnny think about? What could he possibly be imagining that made him want Renjun, because not a single thought came to Renjun’s mind. He was just the guy who worked at Lay’s shop, what did Johnny see in that?

“I’ll show you,” Johnny told him, sliding his hands down to Renjun’s thighs, lifting him up. Renjun gasped, tightening his hold on Johnny’s neck, practically burying his face in his neck as Johnny carried him to the sofa, sitting down with Renjun in his lap. At this angle Renjun could feel the way Johnny was already getting hard in his slacks, his hands moving from the backs of Renjun’s thighs to the front of them, running from his hips to his knees and back up.

“You have the nicest legs, baby,” Johnny breathed in his ear, pressing a kiss to the skin just below his ear. “When you wear those skinny jeans I can’t help looking, I thought for sure you’d catch me one day.” His hands acted out his words, shifting Renjun until he was comfortable straddling Johnny’s lap, Johnny’s hands squeezing and caressing Renjun’s still jean-clad legs. “Everything about you is so pretty but your ass is so cute,” he told him, reaching around to grab his behind, Renjun biting down a moan when he squeezed. “I’ve spent so much time stopping myself from touching when all I wanted was to grab your ass. I wanted to know what noise you’d make if I pinched, if I spanked you just once.”

“Johnny,” Renjun whined, burying his face further into his neck, lips brushing against his throat. The catch in Johnny’s breath was near audible, covered only by the breathless chuckle he let out.

“So pretty,” Johnny sighed, hands dragging up his body to his back. His fingers fisted the blazer Renjun was still wearing. “Baby, please, can I take this off?” He whined and Renjun took another deep breath before pulling back, letting Johnny push his blazer off his shoulder, the offending article of clothing landing on the floor. He didn’t waste another second, bunching up his dress shirt and tugging up to free it from where it was tucked into his slacks, immediately shoving his hands underneath.

“You’re so tiny,” Johnny sighed, hands wrapping around his middle. “I knew you were small but you’re so small, baby. I love that, that you fit so perfectly in my lap. I’ve thought about this a lot, you in my lap.”

“Like this or another way?” Renjun asked, despite feeling breathless under Johnny’s intense gaze. Now that he was looking he couldn’t look away, Johnny’s pretty brown eyes so captivating in the way the dim light of his apartment combined with his lust dilated pupils making them look so dark and endless.

“Every way. Like this, naked, riding me,” Johnny admitted, leaning forward to bite at Renjun’s lips, Renjun whimpering into his lips. “I want you. I want you in every way.”

“Then stop waiting,” Renjun pleaded. Johnny pushed his shirt up his body, Renjun giving up the idea of trying to unbutton it to just pull it off, the shirt landing on the floor only for Johnny to immediately lean in and begin kissing his chest, his collarbones, biting at Renjun’s nipples just to know what noise he would make if he did. The noise was a surprised little yelp, hand falling to Johnny’s hair. He couldn’t help himself, dragging the flat of his tongue across his nipple while looking up at him, Renjun’s hips stuttering of their own accord as Johnny’s piercing touched the wet, hardened flesh, his head tipping back in pleasure.

Johnny had forgotten Renjun had never been with a person with a tongue ring before and immediately focused on making him feel it as much as possible. He was going to lick Renjun’s skin as much as possible, taste the sweat on his skin a million times if it meant feeling him trembling under him just from the feeling of his tongue ring on his body. The way Renjun clutched his hair when he circled his nipple with his ring was reward enough.

“Feels good, baby?” Johnny asked, even though it was clear he was already losing Renjun to the feeling.

“Johnny, please,” he whined and Johnny moved a hand to cup him over his jeans, Renjun already hard in his jeans, their crotches lining up perfectly when Johnny pushed his hips down. It wasn’t enough but it felt so damn good, Renjun’s hard cock pressed up against his even through layers of clothes.

“Please, please take me to bed,” Renjun insisted. “Please stop making me wait,” he begged, hands still in Johnny’s hair. Johnny lifted his head, cupped the back of Renjun’s head to tilt him forward again and pressed another kiss to his lips and slid his tongue into his mouth just so Renjun could feel their tongue slide together. He reveled in the little shiver he felt roll through Renjun at the feeling of cool metal dragging against his tongue.

Johnny picked him up again, carrying him to his bedroom. He shoved the door open, stumbling back to the bed to lay Renjun down and climb on top of him. Their lips met again and again, desperation in every one of their kisses as Johnny pulled Renjun’s jeans open, belt buckle and button and zipper so loud in comparison to the wet sounds of their lips meeting, their ragged breathing. He didn’t waste a moment, tugging them as well as his underwear down Renjun’s legs, pulling away only to remove what remained of Renjun’s clothes until he was nude and beautiful on his black sheets.

Renjun was twice as beautiful naked as he was clothed, Johnny was pretty sure, spread out on his bed and panting. He was flushed from his cheeks to his chest, lips already red and kiss swollen, his collarbones and chest beginning to color from Johnny’s bites earlier. His eyes traced the length of his body until he got to his hips, wrapping his fingers around Renjun’s cock, ruddy in color and leaking at the tip already. Renjun let out a weak noise at the feeling, Johnny slowly beginning to stroke him.

Renjun was average in size and shape, proportionate to his body and Johnny couldn’t help himself, getting down between Renjun’s legs to stick his tongue out and lick a thick stripe from base to tip. Renjun’s whole body jolted at the sensation, Johnny sure it was the cool, wet feeling of his ring again. God, he didn’t think he would ever get over the way Renjun reacted to it.

Renjun pushed himself up to his elbows, looking down at Johnny as he wrapped his lips around Renjun’s tip. Renjun tried to relax, tried to not focus on it but it was impossible, the feeling of Johnny’s tongue ring so unbearably different from every other time he’d ever gotten a blow job. The sensation made his nerve endings prickle, Johnny pinning his hips down to the bed to stop him from bucking up into his mouth.

“Johnny,” Renjun breathed and Johnny pulled off with a wet popping noise. “Please fuck me,” he breathed and Johnny only smiled a little at him, pressing a kiss to his hip.

“Turn over for me, baby?” He asked, crawling up Renjun’s body.

“No, I wanna see you,” Renjun told him, reaching up to hold onto Johnny’s face. “I want to see your face when you fuck me, can I do that?” He asked, voice shot, breath gone. Johnny pressed a kiss to his lips, nipping at his lower lip.

“Of course. Lay back for me, love,” he told him. Renjun did as he asked, shifting further up the bed to rest his head on the pillows, Johnny climbing off of him. He rummaged through his bedside table for a moment before finding his lube and condoms, glancing over to see Renjun getting comfortable on his bed. Johnny tried to tamp down the incredibly fond feeling in his chest, not entirely unwelcome but poorly timed given the situation. Trying to shake it off, he unbuckled his belt and shoved his slacks down his legs along with his boxer briefs, stopping to take off his socks before climbing back into bed with him, lube and condoms falling onto the sheets. Once noticing Johnny back on the bed with him Renjun’s eyes found him and then dropped.

“Well you could’ve told me you were big,” Renjun said, eying his cock and then lifting his eyes back to his.

“It didn’t come up in casual conversation,” Johnny teased him, Renjun letting out a soft laugh as Johnny kneeled between his legs, Renjun spreading his legs for him. Johnny never gloated about his size, even if he was above average in both length and girth but he would be lying if he said the way Renjun was looking at him didn’t feed his ego in a very delightful way.

Johnny ran his hand up Renjun’s leg, fingers touching so softly to his calf, behind his knee, his thigh. He reached over for his lube, Renjun watching him with dark eyes as he dripped it onto his fingers, and then looked down, rubbing a fingertip over his rim. It was still cool, Renjun’s body jumping a little at the sensation. Johnny wrapped his free hand around Renjun’s knee, pressing a kiss to the inside of it before gently easing his finger inside. Renjun made a little breathless noise at the feeling, clenching down on the intrusion. Johnny was gentle and diligent, stroking his finger against his insides, opening him up carefully.

When Renjun’s body started giving way easier he slicked up again and pushed a second finger inside along the first, Renjun gasping at the feeling.

“You okay?” Johnny asked, stilling his fingers.

“I can feel the stretch now. I like it,” he sighed, rocking his hips back against Johnny’s hand. Johnny lowered his eyes back to where his fingers were disappearing into Renjun’s body, pushing in a little harder until he was pressed in to the knuckle and Renjun whined high in his throat. He pulled out gently, scissoring his fingers and lifted his eyes again to watch Renjun’s face twist in pleasure, mouth falling open around the soft little breathless moan he made.

“You like that, baby? The feeling of being opened up?” He asked, pushing in a little more roughly, Renjun whining again at the feeling. “You’re taking my fingers so well, baby. You look so pretty like this, all spread out on my bed. Just like I always imagined, so fucking perfect.”

Renjun whined again, beginning to get more vocal. It was nice, a stark contrast to Renjun’s usual demeanor, so put together and quiet sometimes. Johnny liked to watch Renjun fall apart for him, pushing a third finger into him and enjoying the noises it punched out of him. It was constant, the noises Renjun was making, sounding so needy and desperate for it. Johnny pressed kisses along the inside of his thighs, beginning to suck bruises when Renjun started pushing himself back against Johnny’s fingers, eager for it.

“So cute, all needy for it,” Johnny mumbled into his knee, pressing another smattering of kisses there. He took his time with three fingers, watching Renjun roll his hips back, precum pearling at the tip of his cock, dripping prettily down the side as Johnny fingered him open. It was a gorgeous sight, Renjun’s cheeks flushed, eyes glazed and glassy with pleasure.

“Johnny, please,” he pleaded, body arching off the bed when Johnny dragged his fingers against his walls. He pressed as deep as he could, twisting his wrist to catch his walls again, Renjun almost shouting. “Oh, fuck! Johnny, I’m gonna come. Please, please fuck me.”

“Since you asked so nicely,” he teased him, Renjun looking down at him at what Johnny supposed was supposed to be a glare but lost all it’s heat in the way he already looked so fucked out, faded silver hair spread out on Johnny’s pillows and fingers twisted in his sheets.

Johnny pulled his fingers free and shifted further up on his knees, pulling a condom free from the box. In the time he had been opening Renjun up he had almost forgotten how painfully hard he had gotten. It was terribly obvious, however, when he rolled the condom on, his dick sensitive to the touch. As he slicked himself up with lube he couldn’t control the hiss he let out.

“Fuck, Renjun.”

“That’s what I’m waiting for,” Renjun retorted, Johnny lifted a brow before grabbing him by the back of the knees and tugging him down the bed. He let out a startled noise as Johnny tugged him closer, hooking a leg over his hip.

“Ready?” Johnny asked.

“This isn’t gonna be a repeat of all those times in the office, is it?” Renjun asked. Johnny let out a breathless laugh, lining up and pushing in. Renjun’s mouth fell open, a surprised gasp leaving his lips as his eyes rolled back. Johnny leaned over him, pressing kisses against Renjun’s lax lips as he pushed into him until he bottomed out, entirely sheathed in Renjun’s tight body.

“Oh, fuck,” Renjun sighed. “Holy fuck, Johnny.”

“Feels good?” He asked and Renjun couldn’t do anything other than nod, fingers twisted in the sheets. “Fuck baby, you feel so good, so fucking good,” he moaned.

Johnny gave him a moment to adjust before circling his hips and beginning to fuck into him slowly, gently, watching Renjun moan softly every time he pushed in all the way. Renjun’s fingers found his wrist, Johnny lifting his hand to thread their fingers together, his opposite hand landing next to Renjun’s shoulders as he began to fuck into him a little harder, a little more intensely until Renjun was whining at the crest of every thrust.

The feeling of Johnny fucking him, picking up the pace steadily until he was fucking him harder and faster, so prefectly and precisely made Renjun’s gut tie itself in knots but he held off his orgasm if only to watch Johnny a little while longer. There was something unending gorgeous about watching Johnny fuck him, leaning over him with his muscles on full display, golden skin slick with sweat, getting to admire his tattoos up close. He looked like something out of a dream, Renjun was pretty sure, painted like artwork and giving himself to Renjun and only Renjun in this moment.

“Johnny,” Renjun pleaded.

“I know, baby, I got you,” Johnny whispered. He felt like he had waited so long for this moment and yet his imagination paled in comparison. There was nothing and nowhere he’d rather be than in that bed at that moment, shifting his weight to lean down further, his elbow supporting his weight over Renjun as he got lower to press kisses to his neck and chest, mouthing his way from the base of his throat to under his jaw. He was vaguely aware of Renjun letting go of his hand and then the weight of his arms wrapping around his middle, fingertips digging into his shoulder blades.

“Johnny, I’m close,” he admitted, eyes sliding shut again. It was an all consuming feeling, in his gut, tingling down his spine, Johnny fucking into him so deeply and intensely the moment Johnny shifted back to give him just enough space to wrap a hand around Renjun’s cock he choked on his moan. “Oh, fuck. Johnny, please,” he whined, Johnny stroking him quick and rough.

“Come for me, baby,” Johnny told him, lips against his throat. “Come for me, Renjun. Let me see you come, baby,” he told him, Renjun arching up off the mattress as he came, cock spitting and oozing come over Johnny’s fingers and both of their stomachs. His body clenched hard around Johnny, Johnny gritting his teeth as he chased his own orgasm.

He didn’t last long, Renjun whimpering every time he fucked in deep, pushed to oversensitivity by the feeling but whispering dirty encouragement in his ear all the same. Renjun closed his mouth over the slope where his shoulder met his neck, sucking a bruise there as he came. He trembled through his orgasm, struggling to hold himself up above Renjun as he moaned his name softly, fucking slowly and softly into him through his come down.

“Fuck, Renjun,” Johnny breathed.

The waves of their orgasms tapered off, Renjun’s hands sliding down Johnny’s back as he continued to kiss his neck and chest, placing kisses on every white inked star on his chest piece. Johnny tipped them over, Renjun’s leg still thrown over his hip. Johnny was able to lift a hand like this, tilting Renjun’s face up to look at him.

His eyes were still glassy, lids a little bit heavy with exhaustion and Johnny leaned forward to press a kiss to each of them, Renjun’s eyes having fluttered closed as Johnny leaned in. He pulled back to run a hand through Renjun’s hair, Renjun leaning forward to press his forehead against Johnny’s collarbone.

“Baby, you gotta let me go so I clean us up,” he reminded him and Renjun groaned but leaned back to give them room.  
When Johnny shifted backward he slipped from Renjun’s body, Renjun whining softly at the feeling. Johnny pressed a softly, apologetic kiss to the corner of his lips before leaving his side. Renjun looked up to see Johnny disappear into the connected bathroom, only to come back with a damp washcloth, climbing back onto the bed to clean them both up. Renjun was reluctant to move, Johnny all but manhandling him onto his back again, placing kisses against the skin as he cleaned him up. Renjun arched up, making a little noise in the back of his throat as Johnny ran the cool washcloth over his overly sensitive dick, grinning up at him before placing a kiss on his hip.

The effort required to actually take care of it was lost on Johnny, however, and he left the washcloth on the floor next to the bed, curling up next to Renjun. Renjun turned over back over, easily tucking his face into Johnny’s chest, the two of them falling into a comfortable silence as Johnny’s hand ran up and down Renjun’s back gently.

Johnny had no idea what time it was but he was pulled away to sleep easily, drifting off as Renjun pressed one last kiss to the North Star tattooed on his collarbone.

Johnny was vaguely woken up at some random hour in the morning by a shrill sound, only for it to be promptly cut off and replaced with murmuring. He didn’t give it much thought, still mostly asleep and turned over in bed, hugging his comforter to his chest as he fell back asleep.

The next time he woke up was a slow and gentle awakening, the feeling of fingertips on his skin tickling him awake. He blinked his eyes open sleepily, the first thing he saw being the flutter of Renjun’s lashes, eyes downcast as his fingers traced the patterns of his tattoos. He sighed softly, resisting the urge to shift around lest he stop Renjun’s tender and exploratory fingers.

It went on for minutes, Johnny watching the way Renjun seemed entirely focused on what he was doing. His fingers traipsed across his chest, touching every single white inked star in the galaxy he had put on his chest, drawing constellations between collections of them. He didn’t stop there, though, fingers making their way across Johnny’s shoulder, smoothing across the river bend he had inked there. It still wasn’t finished, he had plans to complete his left sleeve within the next couple of years but there were still empty plots of skin yet to be filled with ink smattered across his arm. Renjun’s fingers skipped over them to touch the branches and petals Johnny had gotten inked there, moving all the way down his arm until he was skimming his fingers across the weeping willow taking up most of Johnny’s forearm.

His fingers twitched a little, a reflex to the feeling of being touched and Renjun’s pulled his fingers back, eyes lifting and finding Johnny looking at him. Renjun pretending to be put upon, rolling his eyes even though he was smiling.

“How long were you awake?” He asked, moving his hand back to Johnny’s wrist only to trail his fingers further down, threading their fingers together sweetly.

“Not long.”

“Did I wake you?” He asked. Johnny had enough presence of mind to know that if he said yes Renjun would apologize and he just couldn’t have that.

“No,” he replied, lifting his other hand to tuck a stray piece of Renjun’s hair away from his eyes. “What time is it?” He asked, letting his hand fall from his hair to cup his cheek gently, thumb stroking over his cheek.

“I have no idea. Probably around 11, but I couldn’t be positive. Yuta called around 10 or so, hope you don’t mind, I answered your phone,” he said, snuggling in further, turning his head to rest his temple against Johnny’s chest and causing their joined hands to rest on his own hip. “I saw the caller ID was the Japanese one and figured it was probably Yuta anyway.” Johnny snorted, tipping his head forward to press a kiss to the crown of Renjun’s head.

“Excellent guess. What did he want?” Johnny asked.

“Well, after he stopped screaming in my ear about my answering your cell phone,” Renjun began, Johnny rolling his eyes as he grinned to himself. “He wanted me to remind you about your appointments today. But you don’t have one until 1 or so so, and I quote, if you want to have a quick morning round, I wouldn’t judge you for that, end quote.”

“I fucking hate that guy,” Johnny mumbled, kissing the top of Renjun’s head again. “But he’s right, I should probably get up and head into work. Tattoos wait for no man,” Johnny commented, pulling away from Renjun a bit to look him in the eyes.

“I should go then,” Renjun sighed. “I think I’ve monopolized enough of your time, I’m sure your employees would like to see you.”

“You could always come to the shop with me?” Johnny suggested.

It was excessive, unnecessary even that Renjun come with him to the shop. He was always there and he had the day off. Surely he had other things to do than tag along to work with his… boyfriend, maybe? That was unclear. And Johnny was pretty sure he was being selfish, suggesting Renjun spend another uncertain amount of hours with him but it never seemed to be enough. He wanted to get back all the hours he’d wasted not being with him. He wouldn’t be disappointed if he said no, he would understand but he just had to ask.

“Are you sure?” Renjun asked, eyes downcasting as he rocked their hands back and forth, thumb running along the outside of Johnny’s. Johnny squeezed his hand softly.

“You’re there all the time anyway,” Johnny tried to turn into a joke, getting a light slap to the chest for it. “It’s true! Besides, all the guys like you, and I know Yuta must be dying to make some sort of comment. If you come with me we can always force him to see us being gross and cute as revenge?” Johnny suggested. It was still entirely for his own benefit, getting to spend more time with Renjun between appointments but so what?

“We’ll have to swing by mine, you don’t have anything I can wear,” Renjun pointed out.

“If I ask nicely, will you wear one of my shirts at least?” Johnny asked, leaning down to whisper it in his ear. Renjun hummed, tapping a finger against his lips and rolled his eyes up, making a show out of pretending to think about it. Johnny stuck his lower lip out in a pout, Renjun’s eyes shifting to look at him, lips splitting into a grin.

“One condition,” Renjun said, shifting backward to look Johnny in the eyes.

“I’m listening.”

“You let me ride you before we leave.”

If there was ever a time Johnny got turned on faster than the moment Renjun uttered those words, he did not remember it. Grabbing Renjun by the waist he turned them over, Renjun letting out a giddy laugh as he straddled Johnny’s thighs. His free hand landed low on Johnny’s stomach, dangerously close to his already half hard cock while Johnny let his free hand grab Renjun’s hip, their still joined hands landing next to Johnny’s hip on the bed.

“You think I would ever deny you that?” Johnny asked.

“I didn’t think so,” Renjun replied, grinning down at him. He ran his fingertips, feather light, up the side of Johnny’s cock and Johnny groaned, tipping his head back into his pillows. “That’s right, baby, just enjoy the ride,” Renjun told him, hand sliding up Johnny’s abs and stomach, pressing a kiss to his sternum.

They showed up fifteen minutes to one o’clock and Renjun was wearing one of Johnny’s ripped to hell Fall Out Boy shirts because he was a sucker and didn’t clarify that he was going to pick the shirt. It was obviously Johnny’s too, it was way too big on his frame, slipping off one shoulder with the sleeves having been cut off. It was the dog days of summer, late August hitting Korea with a vengeance so Renjun couldn’t be too upset considering it was cooler than most of his own closet but it was the principle of the thing.

“Oh, you two are like that, huh?” Jaehyun said, manning the counter when they walked in. Renjun rolled his eyes, fixing the shirt so it sat on his shoulder properly. It was useless, was going to fall off in less than five minutes and his collarbones were going to be exposed in all their bruised glory (bless Johnny for doing him the one favor of not biting his neck to hell, he still had a real job he had to work at). Johnny, however, was worse off than him, Renjun having done a number on him in just the last hour, the entire right side of his neck beginning to bruise darkly.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I have to go set up my room,” Johnny said, going to walk past him, only to make a very sudden about-face and smack a kiss to Renjun’s cheek before walking down the hall. Jaehyun made an overly exaggerated disgusted face while Renjun walked up to the counter.

“Don’t be jealous, Jae hyung,” Renjun teased. Jaehyun rolled his eyes at him, Renjun laughing softly.

“So you guys are together? You’re done playing that game, the whole ring around the rosie and making us suffer?” He asked, moving his finger in a circle to emphasize his point. Renjun sighed, leaning on the counter and putting his chin in his hand.

“I think so,” Renjun agreed. “I don’t really want to play that game anymore anyway. I much prefer this,” he admitted, a soft smile making its way onto his lips.

“Wow, you’re like a completely different person when you go all soft like this. Who are you?” Jaehyun teased, Renjun leaning over the counter to shove his shoulder. “I’d wipe that look off your face if I were you, Hansol and Yuta took Mark to get lunch awhile ago and the minute they get back they’re gonna have a field day with you, don’t give them any more ammo than they already have,” Jaehyun suggested.

“I answered Johnny’s phone this morning, how could it get any worse?”

In the grand scheme of things, Renjun should’ve figured it would get worse. Yuta and Hansol were absolutely uncontrollable on a good day and Mark seemed to be generally disgusted by the idea of anyone displaying public affection and giving them plenty of bullshit to work with was Renjun’s first mistake. The amount of yelling that Hansol did the moment he realized what Renjun was wearing was ungodly and Yuta would not stop making thinly veiled euphemisms about why Renjun had answered Johnny’s phone. Mark was having a hard time looking at him at all.

“So you tired him out, that’s the reason?” Yuta asked. Renjun covered his face with his hand while Mark turned red in the ears, having taken over the counter. Johnny had long since disappeared with a customer, Hansol and Jaehyun helping someone as well. Sometimes the shop ran slow with almost no appointments all day but sometimes it was a full house. Johnny didn’t call it Seoul’s original tattoo shop to run a sub-par parlor so it was no wonder but Renjun didn’t really appreciate being left alone with the likes of Yuta while he was clearly being a shithead. And yes, Renjun considered himself ‘left alone’ since Mark was absolutely zero help, being unable to speak or even look Renjun in the eye.

“Renjun, Johnny’s getting older,” Yuta said gently, like he was talking to a child. Renjun shifted back into the sofa, having retreated to it in an effort to put some space between himself and Yuta. Mostly for Yuta’s safety. “You can’t just work him up like that, he needs time to recharge,” he laid on. “It’s no wonder he slept in so late, getting a wild young thing such as yourself between the sheets.”

“Can we not?” Mark practically whined, staring intently at the computer.

“I will hurt you. There are plenty of sharp things in here that I can stab you with, you know?” Renjun reminded him, glaring at him through his fingers. Yuta shrugged a shoulder, leaning on the counter casually.

“I’m just saying, it’s important you acknowledge it. Johnny’s not as young as he used to be,” Yuta insisted, Renjun rolling his eyes.

“That’s gross.” Mark said plainly.

“You know, Yuta, I think you are underestimating your boss’ bedroom prowess,” Renjun stated, moving his hand only to cross his arms over his chest. Yuta lifted a brow, unconvinced. If Yuta wanted to play a game, Renjun was willing to play.

“Johnny is much more capable than you think. Being with an older man means being with an experienced man. I’ve never had such incredible sex in my life.” Renjun paused and put his hand under his chin, staring into space for effect. “You know when he’s fucking me and he rolls his hips just right-”

“You’ve made your point,” Yuta interrupted, lifting a hand. “Don’t scar Mark to get back at me.”

“And have you ever been with a man with a tongue ring?” Renjun plowed on, Yuta looking more and more regretful by the moment. Renjun wasn’t focused on Mark’s embarrassment but if he was he would’ve noticed him shrinking into himself in the corner. “Because when Johnny sucks dick-”

“Stop. I will beg,” Yuta insisted. “You’re hurting me but more importantly, you’re hurting Mark.”

“I’ve watched Mark make out with Hyuck in front of me, this is the least he deserves!” Renjun called out, Mark looking up with wide eyes and his entire neck and ears turned pink. “Yeah, you think I didn’t notice. Next time get a room or a bathroom stall or something, don’t get make out in the middle of the club!”

“I didn’t do it! Hyuck ambushed me!” Mark defended, leaning on the counter, Yuta looking over at him with wide, surprised eyes. “This is sorely unfair. You saw Hyuck and I make out once there is no reason I should have to be privy to yours and Johnny hyung’s… extracurricular activities.”

“Is that what we’re calling it?” Johnny asked, coming out of the back with the young woman he had just finished the linework for. Mark looked away, embarrassed but happy to move on to helping a customer. She thanked Johnny profusely, Johnny assuring her it was an easy job and that it would look beautiful before she left. After the door shut Johnny swung around to look at the three of them. “What about my extracurricular activities?” He asked, lifting a brow.

“Renjun was regaling us about your lovely night last night,” Yuta commented. “In… graphic detail.”

“If you were into exhibitionism, you should’ve just said so,” Johnny teased, Renjun sticking his tongue out at him.

“I will quit!” Mark yelled while slapping a hand down on the counter but it sounded strangled, his voice breaking in the middle of his sentence.

The thing was though, it was always gonna come to this. Renjun knew it the moment he kissed Johnny, agreed to go on a date with him, started calling him his boyfriend to his friends, his roommates, his coworkers. There were loose ends he still needed to tie up and the universe was nothing if not accomodating in making sure that he absolutely did.

Seeing Chanyeol again was a given, always had been, always would be as long as he and Johnny were friends and Renjun expected that relationship to long outlive their short lived romantic one. He wasn’t upset, he never would be, he was an adult and he understood what it was like to remain friends with your exes. (See his friendship with Xuxi, whom he still hadn’t told Johnny about because that was a can of worms not worth mentioning yet when he hadn’t actually seen Xuxi in person in about five months. The man ran back to Hong Kong to “find himself” or some other bullshit and Renjun had liked every single photo he had posted of him with the cutest Korean man Renjun had ever seen. Jung-something but that was neither here nor there.)

So when Johnny suggested he come to the club with him to meet the rest of his rag-tag team of friends, Renjun agreed. There was an elephant in the room that badly needed to be addressed.

“Oh, he returns!” Sehun said as soon as they walked in the door. Sehun, a familiar face that Renjun was more than comfortable seeing. “It’s only been about… three months since the last time you were in here? Where have you been, Donghae hyung’s been up my ass about you,” Sehun teased him, grabbing Johnny by the arm to tug him into a headlock. Johnny yelled, the rest of their group spreading out to avoid the rough housing.

“Get off‘a me!” Johnny shouted through his laughter, Sehun stumbling back a step as he finally let Johnny go. “Jesus, Hunnie, you’re gonna kill me one of these days. I’ve been busy,” Johnny insisted. Sehun rolled his eyes but walked over to the booth with them.

“So you finally let the kids off their leashes,” Sehun joked, Johnny rolling his eyes at his friends.

Funny enough, Johnny had finally given in to Yuta’s and Hansol’s begging to let them have a night off. It was a Thursday, not one of their busy nights and they truly hadn’t been back into EXO in weeks. It was true that the shop, since having finished remodeling, was doing better than ever and with a new face around they had been able to take more people in than previously. But working hard meant you had to take breaks once in a while and Hansol had finally talked Johnny into it, using Sicheng’s big eyes as leverage.

Very quickly it became a group outing, the Neo 127 crew all showing up in various states of dress and Johnny inviting Renjun without even thinking about it. Hyuck also showed, dressed to the nines and Renjun had noticed Yuta and Sicheng hadn’t let go of each other since they arrived, Yuta’s arm around Sicheng’s shoulders. If Sicheng had noticed Renjun noticing he hadn’t mentioned it, nor had he seemed to mind the way Yuta was leaning into him.

“I gotta let them have their fun sometimes,” Johnny brushed off, sliding into the booth. Renjun slid up next to him, Johnny draping his arm around Renjun’s shoulders. “Now be useful and go grab the boys. Everyone’s been complaining about me keeping him all to myself, I don’t want there to be a reason for a single one of them to be making a fuss anymore.”

“Oh, this is the night, huh? Two birds, one stone?” Sehun joked, Johnny glaring him down playfully. “I’m sure Loey’s somewhere and you know Kai’s at the bar. I’ll track down Donghae and Junmyeon hyungs. I’ll be back,” Sehun told them, turning to go.

“Well, the threat was unnecessary,” Johnny called to him, Sehun flipping him the bird before taking his leave, disappearing into the mass of people already on the dancefloor.

“I always knew you were mister popular, but damn, Johnny,” Renjun teased as soon as Sehun left, Johnny looking away, tips of his ears turning pink with embarrassment. “Wish I’d known I was going to meet an entire fleet, I would’ve dressed better.”

“You look great,” Johnny insisted, leaning down to press a kiss to his lips. “And it’s just the guys, I’ve known some of them forever. Sehun and I were practically in diapers together, I’m the one who should be nervous. They’re gonna expose me and all my over dramatic pining before we got together, ugh,” Johnny sighed, Renjun smacking him with the back of his hand in the chest. “I’m serious!”

“You think he’s joking, but it was revolting,” Hansol insisted, leaning on the table. “Kai and I had a bet going over who was gonna ask who out first. Which, he owes me money, Sehun better bring his ass back here soon,” He complained, looking towards the bar.

“You bet on my love life?” Johnny asked.

“Might as well make your bullshit entertaining,” Jaehyun replied, shrugging a shoulder.

“You’re all fired!”

“Like to see you try,” Sicheng replied.

They didn’t have to wait long, Sehun dragging Kai and Junmyeon behind him when he showed back up, Kai holding a tray of their regular drinks, placing a vodka cranberry in front of Renjun with a wink. Hansol immediately started in on his owing him money while Junmyeon slid into the booth with them, introducing himself to Renjun.

Junmyeon was one of Johnny’s first customers and close friends with Chanyeol and Sehun, put them in contact with Donghae who helped finance EXO. He was a little more subdued than the rest of his friends, something that put him on pretty even ground with Renjun. He was also friends with Lay, he and Renjun immediately riffing off each other about their mutual friend.

“He’s the most extra person I know, I’m not even surprised he shows up to work in paisley,” Junmyeon insisted, holding his beer loosely.

“And yet he refuses to stock anything beyond a plaid at the store. I don’t understand,” Renjun insisted.

“He wants to be the best dressed. He’s afraid a client will end up showing him up. Can’t have that,” Junmyeon joked, Renjun letting out a laugh.

“I heard laughter on this side of the room,” a man with long, dark hair and narrow eyes said, walking up to the booth, flanked by Chanyeol of all people. Junmyeon looked up with a smile, Johnny doing the same. “Imagine my surprise to see the Neo 127 kids, what’re you doing here?” He asked.

“Getting a much deserved break,” Jaehyun called out. “How you been, Donghae hyung?”

“Making it. Good to see you guys again,” he said, smiling widely. His eyes swept the table before landing on Renjun. “I don’t think we’ve met before though. Lee Donghae, the financier of this fine establishment and the unfortunate hyung of all of these kids,” he introduced himself, offering a hand. Renjun took it with a smile.

“Huang Renjun, nice to meet you.”

“Ah, the Renjun I’ve heard so much about,” he commented, eyes sliding over to Johnny, everyone at the table seeming to be sharing the same looks while Renjun looked at Johnny pointedly. Johnny pretended to not notice, taking a sip of his drink. “Well, it’s nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard so many things.”

“Likewise.”

“All good, I hope,” he said with a little laugh.

“For the most part. I hear I have you to thank for my ride in a jag.”

“You took that bitch out to take Renjun on a date?” Sehun asked, leaning on the table. Chanyeol lifted a brow at him, Johnny shrugging a shoulder while Donghae laughed loudly.

The jag in question had been a gift from Donghae at the beginning of the year when Donghae planned to invest in a newer, more up to date model. He had gifted it to Johnny because he didn’t want to just trash a perfectly good jaguar and he certainly didn’t want to give it to any of the other boys in fear they’d trash it just the same. He handed the keys and the title to Johnny telling him it was the car that a burgeoning business owner should have in his arsenal, which Johnny thought was pretty hilarious when he parked it next to Cherry, his bright red truck that was nearing eleven years old even if she was in decent condition.

He told all of this to Renjun after picking him up for their third date in Cherry, insisting he really didn’t take the jag out very often. And he didn’t. It was an impractical car in every sense, but it was nice if he wanted to go for a really fast joyride.

“Well at least I know he’s taking it places,” Donghae allowed.

Donghae didn’t hang around long, dropping by only to catch up with the boys but left Chanyeol behind, Chanyeol immediately taking to the booth, sitting on Junmyeon’s lap just to be annoying. The chatter was idle and eventually the boys started trickling out of the booth and onto the floor, Kai excusing himself back to the bar with Baekhyun while Yuta dragged Sicheng out onto the floor. Junmyeon disappeared not long later, Jaehyun grabbing Hansol by the collar and insisting he owed him a dance. Renjun never anticipated Mark and Hyuck to keep around long, the two of them slinking off to find a corner around the same time Sehun leaned on the table, suggesting Johnny step up to the DJ booth.

“Oh, no. I’m not getting back in there,” Johnny put his hands up in surrender.

“You haven’t DJed in months. Scared you don’t have it anymore?” Sehun challenged.

“You’re not gonna trick me!” Johnny said, pointing a finger at his friend.

“I didn’t know you could DJ,” Renjun commented, turning to look at him.

“This guy? What do you think he did to pay the bills before the shop?” Chanyeol commented, pointing at his friend, Johnny sighing long suffering at them. “The first DJ we ever got in this damn place. Pretty good considering we were paying him in room and board.”

“I was sleeping on your couch, it wasn’t much in terms of room and board,” Johnny retorted.

“I will physically drag you to the booth, c’mon,” Sehun said, but Johnny didn’t look scared. He merely leaned back in the booth, looking at him expectantly. “You don’t want to impress your boyfriend?”

“You don’t want to impress me, baby?” Renjun laid on, Sehun pointing between the two of them with an approving look. Johnny turned to Renjun in disbelief.

“I thought you were on my team, what is this?”

“But I haven’t heard it,” Renjun whined, pouting with his lower lip sticking out and everything.

“Oh, fine,” Johnny agreed, sounding put upon, Sehun holding a hand out to Renjun, who gave him a high five. “You two are gonna be the death of me. Scoot,” he said, waving a hand.

Renjun slipped out of the booth for Johnny, Sehun grabbing him by the arm the moment the two of them were free to drag him towards the booth, Johnny whining the entire way. Renjun laughed softly, watching Johnny drag his feet until he disappeared from view in the throng of people on the dance floor. He turned his attention to Chanyeol, who was already looking at him.

“So what’s up?” He asked, clearly knowing what Renjun wanted.

“Thanks,” Renjun said, Chanyeol’s brows shooting up. “I mean it. Thanks. I didn’t see it but you did and I have to thank you. I don’t know if I would’ve had the guts to go out with him if you hadn’t said anything.”

“He’s crazy for you,” Chanyeol assured him. “Absolutely out of his mind. He never looked at me like he looks at you.” He should’ve sounded bitter, Renjun figured. Chanyeol should’ve sounded upset, jealous maybe but he didn’t. He sounded in awe, thankful, happy. He sounded like the best friend who only ever wanted what was best for his friend.

“You knew it wasn’t gonna work out,” Renjun said, Chanyeol nodding in agreeance. “That’s why. You broke up with him because… you always knew.”

“I told you, I love Johnny. I’m not in love with him. And he might’ve loved me but we weren’t forever. We were right then and that was fine, for a little while,” Chanyeol explained. He looked up when he heard the music change, Renjun turning his head to follow his gaze.

Johnny was standing behind the table, headphones over his ears and working the table. Renjun smiled slow and bright, watching Johnny at that table. He looked good, confident even as he played the music, the rise in the music steady and beautiful. Renjun could already tell Johnny knew what he was doing, looking at the table and the laptop in equal measure, making sure he was timing everything correctly. The drop on the track was absolutely gorgeous, the entire club shouting as he let the song play.

“But Johnny deserves love. Real love. And I knew I couldn’t give it to him,” Chanyeol finished, Renjun barely able to hear him over the sound of the music. Chanyeol turned to look at him though, smiling widely. “You though. I think you’ll manage just fine.”

“That’s a big compliment from a best friend,” Renjun replied, yelling to be heard over the music.

“Anyone with eyes could see that. You honestly have no idea what you look like when you look at him,” Chanyeol assured him. “It’s fucking sickening!” He shouted, Renjun laughing loudly as he turned his head to look at Johnny again, bouncing along with the music behind the booth.

Chanyeol was right. Renjun was a sucker for that man.

**from:** hyungie

you left something at my place

 **from:** renjunnie

i leave shit at your place all the time? what’s your point?

**hyungie sent a photo**

It wasn’t uncommon for Renjun to text at work if management, or Kun for that matter, wasn’t around but he had a feeling that opening that photo text was a bad idea in the middle of the floor. So he took a cursory glance around before making his way to the corner by the suits, his go to hiding place where people were most likely to not bother him. He opened it there and put a hand over his mouth in an attempt to stifle his giggles.

It also wasn’t uncommon for Renjun and Johnny to get a little carried away and sometimes their clothes ended up in strange places. Renjun had found one of Johnny’s shirts literally hanging from his bedroom lamp the morning after the one time he came over while Jaemin was out and Jeno was working late. Renjun wasn’t really surprised anymore so much as he was a little embarrassed whenever they were caught after a night of rather enthusiastic love making.

This, however, took the cake because Renjun did not remember doing this but the photo was Johnny’s hand pulling a pair of Renjun’s boxer briefs out of his work bag. Yes, his case that he took to work on a daily basis, and shoved right in the inner side pocket. That could’ve been the night they had giggly sex on Johnny’s couch before retiring to his bedroom for round two but Renjun still could not remember doing it.

 **from:** renjunnie

you’re welcome?

 **from:** hyungie

i almost pulled your underwear out of my bag in front of SICHENG. that would’ve been a disaster on so many levels, when did you even do this?

 **from:** renjunnie

would you believe me if i told you i don’t remember?

but maybe next time i’ll leave you my panties, wouldn’t that be fun

 **from:** hyungie

baby you don’t own any panties

 **from:** renjunnie

you don’t know me very well yet, do you?

 **from:** hyungie

prove it

Oh, this was a game, huh? Well, Renjun was gonna win, he decided at that moment.

Shoving his phone in his pocket he walked quickly across the floor to the opposite corner where the dressing rooms were. He nodded to Chenle briefly before going for one of the rooms, then paused and turned back to him.

“If Yixing-ge comes by, cover for me.”

“What’re you doing?” Chenle asked, sounding more worried and exasperated than actually annoyed. Renjun flashed him a smile. “If you’re doing something depraved in there, I don’t want to know I just don’t want to get fired.”

“Oh, please, you won’t get fired. Just cover for me if Yixing comes by. Or Kun, actually, don’t tell him either.”

“What are you even doing?” Chenle asked, putting his hands down on the counter, leaning towards Renjun.

“Just uh… texting my boyfriend,” Renjun replied, a little smirk on his lips. Chenle waved a hand, face immediately transforming into disgust.

“Alright, just do whatever you’re gonna do and be quick about it. I don’t want to know anything at all,” Chenle insisted, leaning away from him.

“Be right out,” Renjun assured him, slipping into the room.

He locked the door behind himself and immediately went to undo the button and fly of his slacks. Renjun didn’t usually do things like this, he was a good employee and he never did things as risky as this, sending racy photos to people while he was working of all things but he supposed that was Johnny rubbing off on him. Johnny had sent him a number of photos while Renjun was on the clock before, including selcas of the bruises Renjun had left the night before and more than one photo of him groping himself over his jeans when it was late and he was stuck at work doing paperwork. This was more than Johnny deserved at this point, Renjun was sure.

Renjun was never more glad that past Renjun had his back as he pulled his slacks open, untucking his shirt and tucking the hem between his teeth. If it got a little damp it didn’t matter, it was gonna be tucked in again anyway and he fished his phone back out to take a photo. It wasn’t great, just a mirror photo illuminated by the mirror lights in the dressing room. The lower half of his face was in frame, his teeth clutching the hem of his shirt while his free hand held open his slacks to get a good shot of his underwear.

Little known fact, Renjun did own panties. He didn’t own anything outrageous, a couple pairs of briefs and hipsters while most of them were boyshorts. He thought they were super comfortable and the boyshorts were spacious enough for his dick, even if he did have to go up a size in the hipsters and briefs. He was wearing a pretty standard pair of wine red cotton boyshorts today but they were sporting a thick, lace waistband in the same color, something he just grabbed out of his drawer because these slacks were a little tighter than his others and he knew the panties would be more comfortable than anything else. Renjun had no idea they would be so useful.

If he thought about it too much he would’ve tried to take another photo so he didn’t, sending the photo to Johnny before setting his phone to the side to put himself back together. It couldn’t have taken more than two minutes and he stepped back out, putting his phone back in his pocket while Chenle eyed him suspiciously.

“What?” Renjun asked.

“That was fast,” he commented.

“What did you think I was doing, having phone sex in the middle of the work day?” Renjun retorted. He walked away from the fitting room, purposefully ignoring the way his phone was vibrating in his pocket.

That wasn’t the end of it, though, of course not because 4:30 on the dot came and Renjun almost walked right into his boyfriend on his way to the time clock. Johnny took his hand in his and pulled him to the side, Renjun stumbling over his own feet as Johnny backed him up against the wall behind one of the taller fixtures, the two of them almost entirely in shadow. It certainly wasn’t the best hiding spot, subpar in all actuality but if no one was looking they wouldn’t notice.

“What’re you doing?” Renjun asked, looking up as Johnny’s hands wrapped around his hips, moving back to rest on his backside. “Johnny, I’m working.”

“I know. I thought I’d pick you up,” he replied, casual as could be, as though his hands weren’t currently resting on his boyfriend’s ass. “You’re just about out of here, right?” He asked.

“Yes, and I would already be out of here if you weren’t feeling me up at my place of gainful employment,” Renjun sassed, Johnny grinning at him sharply. He leaned down, pressing a quick kiss to Renjun’s lips but also squeezing his ass in the process. Renjun let out a little startled breath, Johnny letting go of him almost as soon as he had.

“I’ll wait for you out front?” He asked.

“You do that,” Renjun retorted. Johnny kissed his cheek before taking his leave, Renjun huffing before adjusting the collar of his shirt and making his way to the break room.

Johnny had brought the jag again and was parked along the outer edge of the parking lot Renjun realized as he left the store. He made quick work of crossing the parking lot, climbing into the passenger side of the car, only to immediately get kissed hard and deep as soon as he shut the door. He hadn’t even put his bag in the foot well before Johnny had him by the face, biting at his lips.

“Who knew you were so naughty,” Johnny whispered, kissing his lips a couple more times before kissing his cheek, his jaw, moving his hands to Renjun’s ribs to kiss down his neck. Renjun hummed softly, running his fingers through Johnny’s hair. “Taking photos like that at work. What if someone caught you taking such racy pictures for me? Reckless, Renjunnie.”

“You make me that way,” Renjun sighed. He tugged himself away from Johnny to reconnect their lips, his hands sliding down the back of his head to cup the back of his neck, keeping him close.

It was awkward, not spacious enough and they were both leaning uncomfortably over the console but Renjun liked it. That Johnny would sometimes get so hot for him he couldn’t help himself, the two of them making out in his fancy sports car like a couple of teenagers.

Renjun pulled away from his lips, breathing hard and biting his lip.

“Push your seat back.”

“What?”

“Your seat. Push it back.”

“It is. My seat is pushed back,” Johnny replied, looking confused. “Babe, this is as far as this seat goes.”

“What?” Renjun asked, leaning back. Johnny let out a laugh, shaking his head at Renjun.

“The seats don’t go any farther back than this. This is as far as my seat goes.”

“You have the longest legs on the face of the planet, why do you own such a tiny ass car?” Renjun asked, eying Johnny’s driver seat like it had personally offended him. Johnny laughed, dropping his hands to the console, Renjun glaring him down. “Why do you own a car that’s so fucking tiny? You’re a tree, Johnny.”

“Because the car is fine to drive if I push the seat all the way back. I’m sorry I didn’t test it for making out purposes before I agreed to take it off of my hyung’s hands,” Johnny replied, clearly still finding the situation hilarious. Renjun scoffed but he had begun to smile as he leaned back in his seat. “Next time I’ll bring Cherry,” Johnny said, leaning over the console to press a kiss against Renjun’s temple. “You can climb into my lap in her all you want,” he assured him, whispering against his temple as his hands crept over Renjun’s hips.

“Ey, what’re you doing?” Renjun said, finally noticing what Johnny’s hands were going for.

“I wanna see,” Johnny whispered, tugging at the waistband of Renjun’s slacks.

“If I can’t get in your lap you have to wait too. Hands to yourself, mister,” Renjun said, pushing his hands away. Johnny whined but Renjun only grinned, placating him with another kiss.

“I don’t know if I can wait that long,” Johnny whined.

“Well you’re gonna have to figure it out,” Renjun replied, smiling at him teasingly. Johnny pouted at him, lower lip sticking out and everything only for Renjun to press another kiss to his lips. “C’mon, you need both your hands to drive anyway.”

“We both know that’s not true,” Johnny shot back but retreated back across the console anyway, only leaving a hand on Renjun’s thigh for Renjun to lace their fingers together. “Shall we go home?” He asked. Renjun nodded with a little mhm, Johnny turning on the car before backing out of the parking spot.

Shall we go home?

Johnny didn’t even think about it as he said it but only a few weeks and he was already calling his apartment home for the both of them. It made sense, Renjun spent an absolutely inordinate amount of time there, practically moving in within the span of two weeks.

He had a toothbrush there. He had a drawer in Johnny’s dresser and a section of the closet for his work clothes. Johnny would wake up and Renjun would be in his bed, his sneakers and his dress shoes on his shoe rack, finding himself untangling his keys from Renjun’s before leaving for work every morning when he went to pick them up from the table at the entrance. Wendy recognized him, greeted him when he left for work, when they’d come home after.

Johnny had unearthed his spare key from his kitchen drawer just days ago and had been looking at it every spare moment Renjun wasn’t there because he couldn’t decide if it was too early. He wasn’t asking Renjun to move in but it was something.

Johnny glanced over at Renjun, elbow on the sill of the window, September breezing around them, trying to turn summer into fall. His fingers were wrapped tightly with Johnny’s, resting on top of his thigh and Johnny still couldn’t believe they’d gotten this far.

He walked into that shop looking for a suit. That’s all. And now there was a spare key sitting on his kitchen counter that, whether he knew it at that moment or not, he was going to give to Renjun that night after two rounds of sex and a homemade dinner eaten at his breakfast bar. And he certainly didn’t know Renjun would take it with a smile and make a quip about them getting so serious.

He didn’t intend for this, Johnny never intended for any of this. When he showed up with a discount card he expected Renjun to take it and disappear. He expected him to show up once, if that, and that would be the end of it. A little blip in the grand scheme of his life. Just another pretty boy he adored from afar. He never anticipated him sticking around.

And maybe their story was only five months old but God if he wasn’t hoping Renjun would let him stick around a bit longer.

Forever would be just fine by him.

**Author's Note:**

> this. fucking. fic. 
> 
> i started this bitch in JANUARY and i picked it back up about two weeks and busted it out. i love this fic, it's been my baby for so long and i'm so glad you guys get to finally read it. thank you if you made it this far, thank you for all your support on these fics. i told myself my next fic would be a long one and i DID IT. 
> 
> a hundred thank yous for all your support. i hope you love it as much as i do.
> 
> [twt](https://twitter.com/sofarsoperfect)   
>  [cc](https://curiouscat.me/sofarsoperfect)


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